


Shorts

by yehaesuki



Category: Super Junior
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2019-11-27 09:50:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 25,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18193001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yehaesuki/pseuds/yehaesuki
Summary: Random SuJu one shots and other writings. Mostly Gen but I have a heavy YeHae, 83Line, and KyuWook bias which definitely shows most of the time so consider yourselves warned.Pairing and ratings in individual chapter titles





	1. Not-so-AU wherein SuJu attempts to feed Yesung (G)

**Not-so-AU wherein SuJu attempts to feed Yesung:**

 

_83Line_

 

Heechul shows up at Yesung’s apartment at half-past nine in the evening.

"Have you eaten," he says by way of greeting, and Yesung is deprived of the opportunity to comment on his hyung's bright red track suit.

"Hyung, what? No?"

"Thought so," Heechul says, thrusting a pot of something in his direction.

Yesung raises his brow.

"It's from me and Jungsoo. You should eat properly."

"Okay. Thank you. I'm actually touched that you cooked this together for me."

Heechul laughs, "Yeah, no. You know how Jungsoo cooks to relieve stress?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I have this particular talent of causing him stress at will. So yeah, you're welcome. Bye.”

"Wait. Where are you going? Aren't you going to eat this with me?"

"No need, there's more where that came from. See ya!"

"Hyung, please don't break Jungsoo-hyung. We still kind of need him for this year’s comeback.”

Heechul laughs evilly. "I'll try."

 

—

_Hyukjae_

 

Hyukjae comes over the next evening with a shopping bag full of ramen and invites himself into Yesung’s kitchen.

Yesung sits at the counter, watches as his dongsaeng puts a pot of water to boil and open three packs of ramen.

“For the record,” Hyukjae says. “I’m only here to cook you dinner because Donghae threatened to throw away my USB collection.”

Yesung rolls his eyes. “Your porn stash, you mean. Also, for the record, I’m only allowing you to cook me dinner because you haven’t hue-ed at me in the past thirty seconds.”

“Ah, don’t tempt me, hyung,” Hyukjae laughs and goes back to stirring the ramen.

Yesung would deny it when asked but that was the first time in a while that he’d enjoyed the taste of instant ramen.

 

—

_Siwon_

 

Siwon would send Yesung messages every night.

“Hyung, have you eaten?”

“Hyung, you should really have something more than coffee.”

“Hyung, where are you? Let’s have dinner.”

“I’m sorry, Siwon-ah. I’m busy today but thanks for the offer,” Yesung would usually send in reply and that would be the end of it, considering their individual schedules.

But whenever SuJu ends up staying at a hotel during overseas events, Siwon would always make it a point to join Yesung for dinner, makes sure that his hyung eats two, three, four helpings of everything to make up for all the dinners they missed.

 

—

_Shindong_

 

Yesung receives random food deliveries at weird hours of the night - Chinese takeout, pizza, burgers and fries and onion rings, an occasional salad - thinks it might be a mistake as he’ll never order that much food and at that hour.

It is only later, when one of their managers was going through their company credit cards, that Yesung discovers who does it.

Shindong may be the most adamant at keeping things professional between the members but Yesung now understands that he was just as sappy about the members as the rest of them.

 

—

_KyuWook_

 

Wookie would invite Yesung over to the dorm the few days he and Kyu would be home for the weekends.

Yesung would accept - he always does - and would find himself feeling nostalgic as he sits on the familiar couch while Wookie putters around in the kitchen making dinner while Kyu plays a mobile game next to him.

He would ask Kyu how his enlistment is going and Kyu would give a half-hearted answer and could Yesung-hyung please not disturb him while he plays. Yesung would hit him, of course he does, but Kyu would just laugh at Yesung’s short temper.

Wookie would then bring dinner to the living room table and they would eat while watching random late night variety shows just like the old days.

And when the maknaes would whip out the alcohol, Yesung would groan in mock protest but Kyu and Wookie would know better.

Yesung sleeps on the dorm couch those nights and dreams of flying.

 

—

_Donghae_

 

Donghae is, by far, the least predictable when it came to getting Yesung to eat.

“Eat more or you’ll die, hyung,” he’d message Yesung at 2:00 PM.

He’d conspire with Yesung’s mother to stock Yesung’s refrigerator with pre-cooked meals often enough that Yesung has gotten good at telling which dishes Donghae cooked - they tasted good until you found random bits that didn’t belong in them.

When Yesung catches Donghae sneakily swapping his thermos of coffee for one filled with smoothie, however, Yesung snaps.

“Ah, Donghae-ah! How many times have I told you not to do this? Do you want my face to swell that much?”

Donghae flushes, as he seems to do every time Yesung shouts or curses at him. “But hyung! I like your squishy cheeks!” Pouts at Yesung and looks at him with teary puppy eyes.

“Urgh, stop that! It’s too unfair when you do that, you know,” Yesung sighs. “Fine, I’ll drink your damn smoothie.”

Donghae smiles happily at him and Yesung thinks it’s worth the “sacrifice.”

 


	2. Sick Day (YeHae)

Jongwoon very rarely gets sick. Well, sick enough that staying in bed is the only other option next to being dragged kicking and screaming to the hospital. Thankfully, he’s been relatively free these days and could actually take the day off, an unexpected blessing considering the swelling of his throat and the general miserableness of a common cold. A sudden noise from his kitchen has him forcing himself up though, blanket wrapped securely around him. He reaches for his phone because, though he was in no condition to fight off intruders, he could at least get pictures of them in case he gets murdered.

He opens the door to his bedroom cautiously to hear someone desperately telling Kkoming and Melo to stay away so that they won’t get burnt. Jongwoon heaves a sigh of relief when he recognizes the voice.

“Donghae?” he calls, or rather croaks, as he enters his kitchen to find soup spilled everywhere.

“Hyung!” Donghae says, flushing in embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I’ll clean this up.” A pause. “Are you okay, hyung? You didn’t call me last night.”

Jongwoon smiles in spite of himself. “It’s not as if you answer my calls anymore.”

Donghae just shrugs, goes back to cleaning up his mess. “Doesn’t mean I don’t like getting them, though.”

Jongwoon sighs. Almost twenty years and he’s still hasn’t figured out how his dongsaeng’s mind works.

“Don’t you have to be somewhere else though?”

“Not until 5:00. Hyung, you really don’t sound so good. Do you need me to bring you to the hospital?”

As if on cue, Jongwoon starts coughing and Donghae stands to hand him a glass of water. Jongwoon accepts it gratefully and drinks it, the cool liquid somehow helping to calm down the coughing.

“Thanks, Donghae. I just really need to rest.”

Donghae looks doubtful. “If you say so…”

Jongwoon manages a small smile. “Anyway, as you can see, I’m still alive. You can go back now. I’ll just go back to bed.”

“Hyung, wait… I can heat up more soup. You have to eat something.”

Jongwoon blinks. “There’s more?”

Donghae laughs. “I might have bought too much.”

“Okay,” Jongwoon says, watching Donghae putter around his kitchen. It’s been a while since he’s had anyone but family over. He wonders how Donghae had gotten in.

“I have your spare key,” Donghae says and Jongwoon realizes he’s spoken out loud.

Jongwoon is confused. “But I don’t remember giving you…”

Donghae waves him off, approaches with two bowls of soup. “Ah, don’t worry about it, hyung. Just focus on getting better, okay?”

They eat their soup in silence, Jongwoon sneaking glances at Donghae. He might not have noticed when he went to watch D&E perform at Music Bank but now that he is allowed to properly look at his dongsaeng, he sees the tired lines across the other’s face. He chooses not to mention it though. There would be enough time for that when he wasn’t looking like hell frozen over himself.

“I’m sorry for not making it to your concert,” he says instead.

Donghae looks at him, surprised. “I didn’t make it to yours either,” he says sheepishly.

“Well, I’d much rather you have rested anyway.”

Donghae gives him an unreadable look. They sit in silence once again and when they’re done, Donghae rises to bring their empty bowls to the sink. Jongwoon watches him sleepily, remembering the hyperactive 14-year old who’d approached him out of the blue at SM’s dance studio. Ah, who knew getting sick would make him so sentimental.

“Hey, Donghae-ya. You really don’t have to force yourself to do this. I know you’re busy with your comeback so…”

“I’m not,” Donghae says, making his way back to Jongwoon’s side and helping him up. “Forcing myself, that is. Now be quiet and let me tuck you into bed.”

Jongwoon is surprised at the other’s tone and obediently allows himself to be led to his room. Donghae lets Jongwoon lie back down on the bed before surprising him again by slipping under the blankets with him.

“Donghae, what—”

Donghae silences him  by laying his head on Jongwoon’s chest and throwing an arm around his waist.

“Donghae,” Jongwoon tries again. “You shouldn’t… You’ll get sick too.”

“I won’t,” Donghae says with resolve, cuddles in closer. A beat and then he whispers, “I miss you, hyung.”

Jongwoon’s heart warms at the declaration and he places an arm around the younger man, gently stroking his hair. It’s been a while since they were allowed to spend time together like this.

“I miss you too, Hae,” he says, before closing his eyes and falling asleep to the feeling of a strong heart beat against his own, thinks taking a sick day wasn’t so bad after all.


	3. Happiness (Leeteuk + Yesung, hints of HeeTeuk and YeHae)

Jungsoo sighs as he walks down what should be a familiar street, dressed in simple jeans and a white hoodie. It’s been years since he has been in the area, the last time was when they had that going away party before Donghae’s and Hyukjae’s enlistment, if he remembers correctly. Sometimes, the years just blend together and Jungsoo is no longer sure if something happened yesterday or years ago at the very beginning.

It takes longer than it really should to find it even with the help of his phone. Mouse Rabbit. He remembers Jongwoon’s excited face when he had talked to him about his plans to open a café all those years back and it gives Jungsoo some sense of pride to see his dongsaeng, all of them, reach their goals one by one.

He climbs some stairs and opens the door, glad he’d made it before it closed.

“Jungsoo-hyung?” Jongjin greets him from one of the tables. “Wow, it’s been a while? Is hyung expecting you? Donghae-hyung’s coming over in a little bit too.”

Jungsoo blinks at the information. It never really made sense to him, Jongwoon and Donghae’s friendship that is. Jongwoon keeps saying that it’s because he and Donghae were similar. But then Jungsoo remembers a twenty year-old Donghae shakily asking him to hide him from Jongwoon when he accidentally poured milkshake on one of the older boy’s manga and it gets quite difficult imagining the two of them hanging out like adults.

“Jungsoo-hyung?”

“Oh, uhm, no. I actually came over on a whim. Where’s Jongwoon?”

“He’s at the Underground.”

“Where?”

Jongjin points at a flight if stairs going down, leading to a door helpfully labeled “Underground.”

“Oh, thank you, Jongjin-ah,” Jungsoo says as he goes down said stairs and opens the door.

He finds Jongwoon seated at a corner, laughing as he looked at his phone. Several empty bottles of beer were strewn across the table. Jongwoon looks up when he approaches, surprised.

“Hyung!” he says, getting to his feet. “You’re here! Not that I’m complaining but why are you here?”

Jungsoo shrugs. “I don’t know. I just felt like I needed a change of pace.”

“Is Heechul-hyung not home?”

Jungsoo gives him a strange smile. “And I should know that because..?”

Jongwoon shrugs back, gesturing for Jungsoo to sit down. He takes the seat across Jongwoon, eyeing a smoothie and a sandwich on the table of the space next to Jongwoon, a strange sight among all the beer bottles and chips.

“Oh, Donghae’s coming over,” Jongwoon says when he notices Jungsoo’s stare. “His flight just got delayed a bit but he’ll be here. Beer?”

Jungsoo frowns. It’s been a while since he  had the time to get a drink with anyone and though he doubts his tolerance has improved over time, maybe getting drunk wasn’t that bad of an idea.

Jungsoo is only two bottles in when he asks, “Hey, Jongwoon. Are you happy?”

Jongwoon chokes on his beer.

“What?”

“Are you happy, Jongwoon-ah?”

“Hyung, just how much… are you drunk?”

“No, it’s just… if you’re not happy, how do you do it?”

“What?”

“Sell dreams.”

“What?” Jongwoon just looks at him and the confused expression on his dongsaeng’s face makes Jungsoo giggle.

“Dreams, Jongwoon. It’s what we idols sell. Dreams, fantasies, glimpses of happiness. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that?” A laughs. “Then again, you were always among the most honest ones.”

“Hyung, you are so fucking drunk. Want me to call—”

The door opens and in steps a familiar figure, looking tired and almost dead on his feet. Donghae sleep walks into the room and towards the booth Jongwoon and Jungsoo were sitting at. He takes a seat beside the former, smiling gratefully when the other hands him his smoothie. He takes a sip and it’s only then that he realizes that they aren’t alone.

“Jungsoo-hyung?” Donghae says, frowns when he sees the telltale flush on their leader’s face. “Are you drunk? Hyung, why did you let him drink?” He says the last part to Jongwoon who just shrugs.

“Aish, don’t worry. Manager-hyung is on his way to pick him up as we speak.”

Jungsoo looks between the two, listens to their easy, unguarded chatter, a far cry from their quiet interactions at work. Time passes and the door opens again and it’s Jongjin this time, telling them that Jungsoo’s ride has arrived.

Jungsoo struggles to his feet, waves off any offer of assistance. He is about to leave when Jongwoon speaks.

“I’m not.”

Jungsoo turns back around to see Donghae leaning against Jongwoon’s shoulder, fast asleep. Jongwoon had wrapped an arm around the other and was looking at him with a gentle expression on his face.

“What?”

“You asked me if I’m happy, hyung, and that’s my answer. At least, not yet. Far from it. And that should be okay. We just have to remind ourselves that happiness is always around us and happy things are just waiting to be discovered.”

“Jongwoon,” Jungsoo says. “Did you just quote your lyrics at me?”

Jongwoon shrugs, doesn’t look up from where he was watching Donghae. Donghae murmurs something in his sleep making Jongwoon smile and suddenly, it becomes perfectly clear to Jungsoo. He says his goodbye and leaves.

Outside, a familiar van is waiting. Beside it though is someone he wasn’t expecting.

“Yah! Jungsoo! So this is where you’ve disappeared to. And you even got drunk without me.”

Jungsoo looks away and Heechul grabs his hand, dragging him into the van and asking their manager to drive them home.

A couple of minutes and the silence gets too much for Jungsoo.

“Heechul-ah,” he says.

Heechul lets out a frustrated sigh. “Jungsoo, I know what you’re going to say and I’m not having any of it.” Jungsoo closes his eyes when he feels a hand combing through his hair. It feels nice and he allows himself to lean against the other. Heechul snorts.

“Aish, you… when you’re lonely, just give me a call, okay? We literally live in the same building. No need to worry the brats, okay?”

Jungsoo nods. “Okay,” he says. “Okay.”

Happiness is just waiting to be discovered, right?

He reaches for Heechul’s hand and falls asleep.


	4. Running (Yesung)

Yesung starts running towards the end of spring, when the temperature rises slightly, pleasantly warm before the scorching summer heat kicks in.

Early in the morning, middle of the day, late at night — rinse, repeat. It was a routine when he was younger, before all the aches and pains and creaky bones. He’d consulted a professional for his self-management routine this time, one that didn’t entail having to starve himself and worry his family and friends and fans, and was advised that a  proper diet and exercise was the better way to do it.

He puts on his earphones and places his music on shuffle, a cheerful song from some anime he’d watched blaring in his ears. He forgets which one it is from though.

He starts his run slowly. It’s been a while since he’d taken this route, filled with too many memories.

He looks back and almost expects to see Youngwoon running behind him, as the other did back then when Yesung would be upset and go for a run to clear his head. Youngwoon always had denied that he’d been doing it on purpose, until the younger had fucked up and it was Yesung’s turn to run behind his shaking form to make sure he didn’t do anything else he would regret. They were brothers after all.

He looks beside him and could almost see Siwon’s figure against the rising sun. His dongsaeng hadn’t stayed with them in the dorm but would always show up on the days they didn’t have any schedules to join him for his morning run. They’d talk — about life, family, and sometimes each other’s faith which, though not completely the same, was the same in the things that mattered. He’d valued those times before and wonders when they’d stopped.

A familiar building comes into view and he slows down, instinctively looking at a particular window way above the city skyline. It’s been a while since he’d seen Donghae in private, a far cry from that period of time when they seemed to spend almost every waking hour together. He looks in front of him and could almost see the outline of the younger man’s back when they’d go for midnight runs.

“When I move out of the dorm, hyung, I’d get myself one of those fancy apartments with more space than I’d know what to do with,” a twenty year-old Donghae had said one time, looking at the high-rise buildings on one side of the river. “That’s when I’d know I’ve made it.”

Yesung had just laughed at him then and continued running.

“You’d get lonely in a month,” he’d said when Donghae finally caught up. “You never do so well with being left alone.”

That seemed to be a lifetime ago and if Yesung were being honest, it wasn’t only Donghae who got lonely when he moved out.

He wonders if he should ask Donghae to run with him again.

A D&E song comes up on his playlist, familiar only because Donghae would still send him clips of the music he was composing from time to time, and Yesung hesitates. Maybe it was too late to call. Maybe the other is busy. Maybe he’d changed his routine too and no longer ran in the evening, preferring to spend his downtime doing more productive things with people who didn’t wear him down.

Yesung shakes his head and looks forward.

“Focus,” he tells himself. “Remember whom you’re doing this for.”

For now, he runs alone.


	5. Habit  (YeHae)

Donghae yawns as he practically sleepwalks into a mostly empty meeting room. It is 4:00 on a Thursday afternoon and, though he usually should be awake by now, he'd gotten inspired and spent the entire night and early morning working on a new composition.

"Where's everyone?" he asks. "Wasn't the meeting supposed to start at 4:00?"

"Oh, they moved it to 4:30. Didn't you see?" Yesung, the only other member present, answers.

"Urgh, I should have gotten coffee," Donghae whines and plops down on the seat next to his hyung, looks around before burying his face against Yesung's shoulder.

Yesung finally looks up from his phone then and towards the younger man currently trying to disappear into the folds of his jacket.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

Donghae shakes his head, still not getting up.

"Do you want coffee? I got an extra iced americano."

That gets Donghae up. "I can have it?"

Yesung shrugs. "Sure. I could always get myself another later." He pushes a tumbler over to Donghae who gets distracted by the pink and yellow plasters on Yesung's hands. As if in a trance, Donghae reaches out to take his hyung's right hand in his left to closely examine them.

Yesung just lets him, already quite used to the younger man's odd displays of affection. He is surprised when Donghae looks up at him with teary eyes.

"Hyung! You hurt your fingers again?" Donghae says disapprovingly, not letting go. "I thought you'd gotten rid of your nail-biting habit ages ago."

Yesung looks away. "I did. It just comes back at odd times, I guess, especially when I get fidgety."

Donghae blinks blankly at him and Yesung resists the urge to pinch the other's cheeks, chooses instead to just return his stare. A couple of minutes of the weird staring contest and Donghae finally says, "Okay then."

"'Okay then?' What does that even mean?"

Yesung's eyes widen when he feels Donghae entwine their fingers together and place them on his lap.

"Donghae, what are you doing?"

Donghae looks at him from where he was sipping at his coffee. "Holding your hand, hyung."

"Why?"

"So you won't fidget too much and hurt yourself?" He says this with all innocence and good intentions that Yesung can't find it in himself to make a fuss.

"Fine, then," Yesung sighs in resignation.

"Saranghae, hyung," Donghae says happily and Yesung feels his heart skip a beat.

"You've got nothing more to say again, huh?" Yesung snarks and goes back to scrolling through SNS. He feels a weight settle against his shoulder again, a thumb rubbing against the plaster on his index finger. Yesung sighs and gives the hand holding his a squeeze.

Beside him, Donghae smiles and closes his eyes.

He could get used to this.


	6. Watching the rain while drinking wine (YeHae)

It rains unexpectedly on a Tuesday night, not the light drizzle one would expect of spring rain but something more like a late summer thunderstorm. Yesung sighs as he cancels his plans for the night — no way was he walking anywhere in that weather — takes a literal raincheck and sends a message to Ryuu apologizing for bailing on him. He changes out of his outside clothes and into his pajamas, watches the raindrops fall against his window from his couch, a sleeping Melo on his lap. He waits for the lyrics to come as they would, rainy nights putting him in just the right mood for writing and composing.

His phone rings and he looks at it curiously, wondering who would be calling him so late. He sees Donghae's name and smiles, picks up before the other could change his mind about calling him.

"Hello?" he says, running a hand through Melo's fur.

"Hyung!" Donghae sounds breathless on the other end of the line, as though he'd just run up a flight of steps. "Are you home?"

Yesung frowns. "Yes. Why?"

"Open the door, hyung," Donghae says. "I think my arms would give out any minute now."

Yesung's eyes widen, hurriedly stands up, displacing a startled Melo and almost tripping over Kkoming who had trotted up to the couch to see what was going on. He opens the door to find a dripping wet Donghae on his doorstep, two bottles of wine in his arms and several boxes of take out from the family restaurant near their old dorm.

"Hello, hyung," Donghae says, beaming up at him in spite of the chattering of his teeth.

"What the hell, Donghae-ah?" Yesung exclaims, ushering the younger man in, taking the things he'd brought from him and placing them on the table. He then practically shoves the other towards the bathroom. "You're fucking freezing, oh my god. Does Jungsoo-hyung know you're here?"

"Jungsoo-hyung? Why? I'm not twelve, hyung," Donghae protests even as he allows Yesung to push him towards the bathroom.

"That's debatable," Yesung answers. "Now take a shower while I heat the food you brought. You know where everything is."

Donghae pouts at him, looks like he's about to say something, but thinks better of it. "Okay, hyung. Thanks for letting me use your shower.

Yesung nods and leaves him to it.

—

Yesung arranges the food containers on his living room table and brings out two wineglasses. It was strange for Donghae to be in possession of any alcohol, even stranger to have two bottles at the ready. He'd probably received them as gifts once again yet was too polite to decline. Hyukjae used to be the happy recipient of these gifts and it really is quite strange for Donghae to come all the way to his apartment in the pouring rain without making any plans with him first. Well, at least these days when Donghae seemed less likely to drop by unannounced like he did in the past. He wonders what was on Donghae's mind when the other shuffles into the living room in one of Yesung's larger shirts and those fluffy pajamas with pink hearts on them that Jongjin got him as birthday gift. His hair is still dripping wet from the shower and Yesung sighs exasperatedly when Donghae nonchalantly sits on his couch and gathers a surprised Kkoming into his arms. Donghae hums a tune as Yesung goes to get another towel, smiles widely when Yesung places the towel on his head and begins to wipe his hair dry. Donghae just lets him, oddly docile when they are alone as opposed to his panicked protests about being touched when they are in public.

Yesung finishes drying Donghae's hair the best he could and goes to place the towel and the rest of Donghae's clothes in the washing machine. He returns to the living room to find Melo also on Donghae's lap.

"Traitors," he laughs as he pets Kkoming's and Melo's heads. "Of course even you would prefer Donghae over me."

Donghae laughs back, "Of course they would, hyung. My lap's more comfy than yours."

"Well, at least I don't get accused of blending my pets," Yesung rolls his eyes, settling down beside them, pouring two glasses of wine and handing Donghae his food and some chopsticks.

They eat quietly while watching the rain fall, the silence as comfortable as all silences they spend together are. Yesung usually would prefer to spend these nights alone but Donghae's company was always welcome. They end up leaning against each other, sipping their wine, when Yesung chooses to finally ask the question that has been bugging him all evening.

"So, what brings you here, Hae?"

Donghae smiles, doesn't take his eyes off the window. "What do you mean, hyung? You called me here."

"I… what?" Yesung looks at him, confused.

"You said we should watch the rain while drinking wine, hyung," Donghae simply says. "I must admit it's one of your better ideas next to eating ramen in the rain."

Yesung frowns. "When did I…" Suddenly, he remembers one of those meaningless comments he'd posted on SNS, half meant but more for the fans who seemed to enjoy his and Donghae's interactions. "Ah, that was almost a year ago, though."

"Well, I don't seem like I'm too late, am I?" Donghae laughs and finally looks at him, eyes sparkling mischievously in the dim light of Yesung's living room.

Yesung smiles in spite of himself. "Cheeky brat," he says, jumps when he feels Donghae slip under his arm and curl up against his side, pleasantly warm and solid, Kkoming and Melo still on his lap.

"Donghae," he says warningly.

"Let me stay, hyung," Donghae says. "At least  until the rain stops or the wine runs out?"

Yesung looks down at the top of the younger man's head suspiciously. "Are you drunk, Hae-ah?"

Donghae shrugs and burrows closer, takes a sip of his wine. "I don't know, hyung," he confesses.  "Will you let me stay if I say I am?"

Yesung snorts, finally wraps the arm Donghae is leaning against around him, runs his fingers through the other's hair. "As if I could ever throw you out in this weather, drunk or not."

Yesung feels Donghae smile against his neck, whispers something he doesn't catch. He continues to pet the other's hair as they go back to drinking their wine in silence, both secretly hoping that the rain won't ever stop.

 


	7. Crisis Averted (YeHae)

Donghae watches Jongwoon look through SNS with a growing frown on his face. They were spending a lazy evening in Donghae’s apartment after an afternoon recording session, playing around with some ideas for a new song over chicken and some pasta Donghae managed to put together on such short notice. Donghae had invited Jongwoon over out of habit, was already expecting to be refused as always. But Jongwoon surprised him by shrugging and saying, “Sure, why not?” leaving Donghae gaping at him like a fish.

“Hyung, but we never go to my apartment. You always say it’s so boring and plain.”

“So we shouldn’t go?” Jongwoon had asked, confused.

“No! No! Let’s go!” Donghae had said, latching onto Jongwoon’s arm, drawing a smile from his hyung. “I’ve always wanted to show you my plant.”

Jongwoon lets out a deep sigh then, drawing Donghae from his thoughts. He inches closer to him on the couch, hooking his chin over Jongwoon’s shoulder to see what had his hyung sighing like that. Donghae frowns as he sees what appear to be hateful posts and comments directed at the older man and another of his hyung’s apology posts. Donghae huffs and quickly grabs Jongwoon’s phone, tossing it into a nearby laundry basket.

“Hae, what the heck. I was reading…” Jongwoon protests, is interrupted when Donghae climbs onto his lap, takes both of his hands in his.

“I love you,” Donghae says for the thousandth time and for the thousandth time, Jongwoon’s heart skips a beat.

“Hae…”

“I love you, hyung,” Donghae repeats. “I love the Jongwoon-hyung who is honest and kind and truly cares for his family and members and friends and fans. I love the Jongwoon-hyung who works hard and tries his best every day to become a better person and singer and performer. I love the Jongwoon-hyung who always tries to make everyone happy, sometimes stupidly at his own expense. I love everything about you and I’m sure your true fans do as well so please…” Tenderly, he reaches up to frame Jongwoon’s face in his hands. “Be kind to yourself as well, hyung. You are your own person. You do not need to apologize for anything and everything.”

“But my solo…”

Donghae shakes his head. “Don’t worry too much about it. Just… have more faith in your music. And your fans. And, if all else fails, you have us, hyung. You have me. You know that, right?”

Jongwoon looks at Donghae, at the earnest expression on his dongsaeng’s face, all tearful eyes and pouty lips and wonders all over again what selfless act he may have done in his past life for him to deserve having such a beautiful soul as Donghae in his life. He reaches up to wipe a tear that had escaped and fallen down the younger man’s cheek.

“Thank you, Hae. Somehow, you always know just the right thing to say.” A laugh. “Ah, my jjokkeumani is really all grown up.”

Donghae groans. “Aish, hyung. I thought we’ve moved past that silly nickname. That’s just so weird, especially when we started sl— mmph.”

Donghae shuts up when Jongwoon pulls him close, arms around his waist, and starts kissing him gently, almost reverently. Donghae smiles and kisses him back, wrapping his arms around Jongwoon’s neck, enjoying the familiar sensation of his hyung’s soft lips pressing against his own as they get lost in each other’s warmth and forget everything, if just for a while.

Donghae’s doorbell rings and they pull apart, smiling at each other, and for a moment, they just sit there, ignoring the continuous ringing of the doorbell as whoever is outside starts to grow impatient. Donghae’s phone begins to vibrate on the couch and he regretfully tries to pull away. Jongwoon’s arms tighten around Donghae and he gasps, looks up to find Jongwoon looking at him with an intense expression.

“Hyung, let me go. I have to—”

“I love you too, Hae,” Jongwoon says. “Thank you for being with me and making me happy.”

Donghae blushes at hearing those precious words rarely spoken by his hyung. “Aish, hyung. Please don’t say such embarrassing things, especially in front of Heechul-hyung and Hyukkie.”

“Heechul-hyung?”

“I think he’s the one trying to break down my door right now.”

They hear the sound of the door opening and a loud, “Yesex! I know you’re in here. Come tell hyung who hurt you. I’m gonna—”

“And that’s Hyukkie suddenly remembering the passcode to my apartment…” Donghae groans, climbing off Jongwoon’s lap just in time before Heechul and Hyukjae barge into the living room, bags of random food and alcohol in hand.

“Hyung, I told you. We might be disturbing…”

“Nonsense. These two are too boring to do anything but make music together.”

The doorbell rings once again and Donghae goes to answer it, smiling when seconds later, he hears the sound of Jongwoon’s laughter echoing throughout his apartment.

_Another crisis averted. Good job, Donghae!_ He tells himself as he opens his door to let Siwon in.

In the laundry basket, Jongwoon’s phone vibrates with one last notification before turning off, completely forgotten.


	8. Wardrobe Malfunction — The Case of  Jongwoon vs. Donghae’s Shirt (YeHae)

Donghae’s shirt hates Jongwoon — this Jongwoon realizes while sitting in their dressing room one day, waiting for Donghae’s shoot to be over. Jongwoon was done for the day, having finished his photoshoot before most of the other members even came in. Donghae, of course, was one of the last to have his photos taken, photographers usually having a field day with his and Siwon’s visuals.

Jongwoon sighs, wishing he wasn’t so whipped for the younger man. All it took was for Donghae to pout at him and ask if he wanted to go get dinner together and could he please wait until he finishes his photoshoot for Jongwoon to throw all his plans for the night out the window.

So here he is, taking a sip of his coffee while watching stylists and makeup artists flock to get Donghae ready for the shoot. His eyes narrow as one of the stylists attempts to button Donghae’s shirt only to have the button third from the top pop off, Donghae’s chest straining against the shirt which appeared to be one or two sizes too small for him. A sliver of chest peeks out and Jongwoon has to look away, pretending to be interested in his phone, cheeks flushed for some reason Jongwoon would much rather not think about. A couple of attempts at repair and the stylist gives up, allowing Donghae’s shirt to gape open as they always seem to do in most of SuJu’s official photos and events and Jongwoon wonders what he could’ve possibly done in his previous life to deserve this.

—

They go out for dinner at the family restaurant nearby. Donghae was too excited, he’d bolted out of the studio with Jongwoon in tow once the shoot was done without even changing his clothes. Which meant that Jongwoon had to deal with the torture of pretending not to look at the other’s exposed chest all evening. Occasionally, his fingers would twitch, wanting to button up Donghae’s shirt, especially when it would draw appreciative glances from the other diners, but then Donghae was quite adamant about not being touched in public so he had to restrain himself.

“Hyung,” Donghae says, snapping him out of his reverie. “Are you okay? You look as if you’d swallowed two lemons.” He leans forward to check Jongwoon’s temperature with his hand and Jongwoon lets out a strangled noise when he finds Donghae’s chest directly in his line of vision. His eyes zoom in on the popped button and he groans at the less than innocent mental images he gets.

“Hyung?” Donghae asks, getting worried. “You’re getting awfully red. You should’ve told me that you were sick. We could’ve just hung out at your apartment.”

Someone passes their table, surreptitiously looking at Donghae’s chest and that was the last straw. Jongwoon growls, glaring at the man before standing up and shrugging off his oversized jacket. He then proceeds to help Donghae into his jacket before zipping it up all the way to his chin. Surprisingly, Donghae allows it,  patiently waiting for an explanation even as Jongwoon goes back to eating. When he doesn’t get it, he sighs and says.

“Hyung? What’s wrong? I mean, I appreciate the gesture — I was honestly feeling cold and your jacket is comfortably warm — but you seem angry. Why, hyung?”

Jongwoon grumbles something into his pasta.

“What? Hyung, speak more clearly. I can’t understand…”

“Your shirt,” Jongwoon repeats through gritted teeth.

“My shirt?”

“Yeah. It’s been distracting me the entire evening and I…”

“Hyung?”

“Never mind, Hae.” Jongwoon says. Sometimes, Donghae could really be as dense as people thought him to be. “Let’s just finish our meal so we can go home.”

“Oh? Are we going to your apartment after all?”

“Sure. Why not? Anything to get you out of here and into something that actually covers you properly. Seriously though, with the amount of money we’re making, you’d think the label could get you at least one functioning shirt, one that actually fits and with all the buttons sewn on. Urgh, at the rate this is going, you’d soon be doing photoshoots in just a bath robe and I…”

“Hyung, breathe,” Donghae says, reaching out to take Jongwoon’s hand in his. “It’s just a shirt… I’d let you pop the remaining buttons if you want.”

“I know it’s just a shirt but… you’ll what?!”

“Seriously I would.” A mischievous smile. “After all, if tonight goes the way I think it will, I don’t think either of us will be needing any shirt.”

Donghae then winks — _winks —_ at him and Jongwoon’s brain short circuits at the mental image that statement conjures.

“I… you…” Jongwoon blabbers incoherently and Donghae laughs, signalling their waiter for the bill. Underneath the jacket Donghae is wearing, another button pops off as Jongwoon’s brain stops functioning.

Donghae’s shirt - 1. Kim Jongwoon - 0.


	9. The price of not being hated (Donghae)

Donghae unlocks his apartment and drags himself in, body weary and heart heavy. It is 3:00 AM. Their meeting had dragged on and on as expected until everyone was tired and screaming and emotional and Donghae had wondered yet again how they’d stayed together as a group this long.

He’d spent the meeting observing each member, listening both to what was being said and what was not. At one point, his gaze stopped on Jongwoon who had sat silently, looking out the window after saying his piece. Donghae had seen what had happened on SNS the day before and had quickly called Jongwoon up to reassure him, only to have his call go to voicemail. He learns later that Jongjin had immediately confiscated his hyung’s phone when things started to get ugly but Donghae really had started to panic when Jungsoo suddenly called for a meeting at 10:00 PM.

Donghae had watched Jongwoon, hand twitching to take his hyung’s hand and give it a comforting squeeze but he was all the way at the other side of the table and Jungsoo, who had been videoconferencing, was reaching the end of his patience. They reached a vote at 2:25 AM and Donghae had sighed at the expected outcome.

When it all comes down to it, it is fear that drives them.

He shrugs out of his shirt and crawls into bed, having neither the energy nor motivation to shower, and stares blankly up at the ceiling before reaching for his phone. He ignores all his notifications in favor of opening up his contacts, finger hovering over Jongwoon’s name. For some reason, he wanted to hear Jongwoon’s voice. But then he remembers the way Jongwoon had practically stormed out of the meeting room when everything was over and he thinks he’d missed his chance when he didn’t go after him right there and then. He sighs, opening up his messaging app instead.

It takes several tries before he finally settles on something.

“I’m sorry, hyung,” Donghae sends, then hesitates. What was he supposed to say? That the decision was for the group’s survival? That he admired Jongwoon’s courage, that he didn’t deserve the backlash, but it was better for the label if he didn’t say anything more? Donghae sits up and punches his mattress in frustration. What bullshit!

He stands up, trying to calm himself by looking out his window. Never had he felt so helpless until tonight. He looks at his phone.

“Hyung,” he tries again. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything.” A pause. “Please be okay.” And then… “I love you.”

Silence and Donghae closes his eyes as he finally allows the tears he’d been holding back to fall.

“Hyung, please be okay,” he whispers, sending up a prayer in desperation as he watches the city skyline through blurry eyes.

So this is the price of not being hated, huh? He wonders if it ever becomes worth it.


	10. “It” (YeHae)

Donghae tugs uncomfortably at his scarf, his other hand gripping the microphone as he talks to their fans. Or, at least, attempts to while desperately trying his best to look anywhere but at “it.” “It.” It’s not like it was news to him — “it” was a bit of a legend in the dorms and out of it — but to actually have “it” bulge out so obviously like that in public and within such close proximity… well, that is something Donghae never really learned how to deal with.

He hears Jongwoon laugh at something he says, leaning towards him, and he jumps to the side reflexively when “it” comes into his peripheral vision, trying so hard to bury his blushing face in his scarf. Jongwoon gives him a questioning, if not a bit hurt, look at his avoidance but Donghae just averts his eyes. The fan sign event continues with Donghae trying hard not to stare at Jongwoon’s lap — it’s already been twenty minutes, shouldn’t “it” have calmed down by now? — and sometime in between, Jongwoon passes him a paper that simply says, “What’s wrong?” Donghae blushes and scribbles a hurried “Nothing, hyung,” handing the paper back. Jongwoon gives him a worried glance before turning his attention to the next fan.

It is during their ride back to Jongwoon’s apartment however that Jongwoon breaches the subject.

“Hae, what’s wrong? You’ve been ignoring me the entire fan sign.”

Donghae groans. “Aish, hyung, can we not talk about it?”

“So something really is bothering you. Come on, you can tell me.”

Donghae chokes on his spit. What was he supposed to say? I’m sorry, hyung, but I was trying not to get distracted by your huge dick straining against your pants and why the hell were you so “excited” anyway?

Jongwoon lets out an amused chuckle and Donghae wants to die when he realizes he actually said that out loud.

“Hyung, I’m— I can explain—”

“My ‘huge dick’, huh?” Jongwoon says, voice suddenly dangerously husky. “Well, if you really want to know,  all that was your fault.”

And Donghae lets out a squeak when Jongwoon slings an arm around him and pulls him close, a smirk on his face as he leans in to whisper, “My cute and fluffy Hae-ah. Let hyung show you just how much more ‘excited’ I could be.”

Their van stops and Donghae pushes himself away from Jongwoon, practically jumps out of the van even before their manager finishes informing them of their schedules tomorrow.

Jongwoon licks his lips.

“Well, Donghae-hyungnim seemed to be in a hurry,” Changjoo comments, confused.

“Uwu,” Jongwoon simply says as he goes down from the van and calmly walks towards his apartment, trying to conserve his energy.

It was going to be a long night.


	11. Yes-sex (“YeHae”) 🔥🔥🔥

Donghae groans as he wakes up to a nose buried in his neck, arms around his waist, and a familiar ache in his ass and lower back. He looks down, almost choking on Jongwoon’s pastel pink hair, wrinkling his nose at the slight smell of bleach that wouldn’t come off even after a month. He and Jongwoon had chosen to stay in again during a rare common day off, this time at Donghae’s apartment. They were supposed to work on some music together but one thing led to another and it really had been a while so here they were, practically tangled around each other, hickeys on various parts of their aching bodies. Donghae winces at the number of love bites on his neck, shudders at the amount of make up that would be needed to cover it up and, worse, disapproving looks from his stylist and offhand comments about him having a vampire for a lover.

Jongwoon snores against him, still totally out of it, and Donghae sighs. If only they didn’t have to go filming today, he would’ve wanted nothing more than to stay in bed all day and cuddle after the intense night. But yeah, Jungsoo-hyung was going to come get him soon so Donghae forces himself to get up, testing Jongwoon’s grip on his waist, manages to wiggle away just enough to reach for his phone only to be pulled back and pushed against the mattress. He barely has time to blink before a hungry mouth captures his own, nipping playfully at his bottom lip before a familiar tongue presses insistently against them. Donghae gives in way too easily, quest for his phone forgotten in favor of wrapping his arms around Jongwoon’s neck, parting his lips and kissing Jongwoon back with equal fervor, sucking on Jongwoon’s tongue. Jongwoon moans in response, hands beginning to move down toned arms and a chest littered with bite marks. Donghae’s breath hitches as Jongwoon’s hands graze a sensitive nipple, legs parting instinctively as he mewls, allowing Jongwoon to slip between them before moving his lips down Donghae’s neck, tracing the familiar path down the younger man’s throat, nipping and sucking along the way.

“Hyung…” Donghae tries to protest in between moans. “Stop… we… have a schedule… today… and oh my god…” Donghae trails off in a moan as Jongwoon begins nuzzling at his chest, warm breath blowing teasingly over a nipple. Donghae closes his eyes at the sensation, tries to protest again when he feels Jongwoon’s hard on pressing against his own.

“Hyung…” He finds himself saying instead. “Hyung, please…”

“Please what?” Jongwoon says, voice still raspy from sleep and Donghae could almost hear the smirk in his voice. “I thought we had a schedule, Donghae-ah.”

Donghae groans again as Jongwoon presses closer, wondering if he should be bothered about how much Jongwoon enjoyed having him beg.

“Hyung,” he tries again. “Jongwoon. Please.”

“What do you want, Hae-ah?”

Jongwoon looks up at him then, smouldering dark eyes contrasting sexily with fluffy pink hair and Donghae gives up.

“You, hyung. Always you,” he says, pulling Jongwoon closer to whisper the words against his lips. “Now shut up and fuck me before I change my mind.”

Jongwoon smirks triumphantly, capture Donghae’s lips once again, and does exactly that.

—

They lie together basking in the afterglow, Donghae’s head pillowed on Jongwoon’s chest as the the latter runs a hand through Donghae’s sweaty hair, both tired out after two rounds. They are probably late to their schedule already but Jungsoo hadn’t called yet so they decide to just screw it and take a couple of more minutes to rest.

Screw it? More like screw each other. Donghae giggles. Yesex indeed. The sound draws a curious glance from Jongwoon.

“Yes, Hae. What is it?”

“Nothing, hyung. I was just thinking about how much the nickname ‘Yesex’ suits you,” Donghae laughs.

“What?”

“This right here,” he answers, gesturing between them. “Hyung, we literally just went five rounds last night and yet you woke up ready to go again for two more.” A snicker. “It’s like little Jongwoon doesn’t know how to say ‘no.’”

“Donghae, you…”

Suddenly, Jongwoon’s phone starts ringing. Jongwoon reaches for it and groans.

“Jungsoo-hyung?”

Jongwoon nods, sitting up. “I guess we really have to go now. I’m gonna go get the shower ready for us. Answer that for me, will you?”

Donghae watches as Jongwoon rises and walks towards his shower naked, appreciating the view before turning to Jongwoon’s phone to answer Jungsoo’s call, an idea forming in his mind.

—

Donghae climbs gingerly into the van, trying not to wince too obviously when he sits down on the seat behind Jungsoo. Their leader was driving them to work today as part of the program they were filming.

Jongwoon climbs in after him, handing him one of the tumblers of coffee he is holding, pink hair freshly washed and sticking up all over the place.

Jungsoo raises a brow but does not comment, has given up trying to figure out what is going on between these two particular members years ago.

“Jongwoon-ah, I’m sorry but can I borrow your AirPods. I forgot mine and am waiting for a call.”

“Sure, hyung,” Jongwoon says, handing over the case containing them.

Jungsoo nods in thanks, taking them out and trying to connect them to his phone. “Hey, are you sure your AirPods are working? My phone can’t seem to detect… Yesex?”

Jongwoon looks up from him phone at the nickname. “What?”

“Your AirPods,” Jungsoo says, showing him his phone screen. “They’re named ‘Yesex’?”

“What?!” Jongwoon exclaims. “No way. I didn’t…”

They hear a snicker from the other side of the van before Donghae bursts out laughing.

Jongwoon’s eyes narrow. “Donghae-ah…” He says warningly. “Tell me you didn’t just name my AirPods ‘Yesex’.”

Donghae just keeps on laughing, clutching at his sides.

“Donghae… Change it back. Now.”

“Aish, hyung,” Donghae says, wiping away the tears from his eyes. “Don’t get mad. I mean, deny it all you want but that nickname definitely suits you and if I get to limp around the studio all day today, at least your AirPods should get to own up to that nickname.” A whine. “Seriously, hyung, seven rounds? Isn’t that a bit too much for people our age? It really hurts, hyung, at least  give me that back rub you promised me.”

The Yesex-Airpods thankfully connect at that point and Jungsoo puts on his playlist, blissfully ignorant to the moans and groans that sound from the backseat seconds later. He looks forward, concentrates on driving, resolves to propose a raise for their managers during the next meeting if this is what they have to put up with on a daily basis. They deserve it.


	12. "Yes-Sex" Part 2: Making up shouldn't be this hard; alternate title: "I swear I did not take your Airpods so please stop ignoring me, Donghae-ah." (YeHae)

"Okay, so where are they?" Donghae says the moment the door to their hotel room closes, turning around to crowd a surprised Jongwoon against the door. They had just returned from the concert and were supposed to go out with the others for dinner, their flight still scheduled the following day.

Jongwoon blinks. Donghae had been acting weird this entire trip, acting all chummy and familiar one moment and ignoring him the next. In fact, the younger man hadn't spoken or even looked in his direction from the time they performed until now so, naturally, he is confused by the words that come out of Donghae's mouth. "What?"

Donghae looks at him with an expression that is a weird combination of a glare and a pout, which could only mean  that he is quite upset.

"Aish, hyung. Don't pretend. You know what I mean."

Jongwoon frowns, seriously doubting that he does, is about to say something when Donghae starts feeling him up, starting with his arms and chest, checking creases in the white button up shirt he'd been wearing since their performance, before moving to his pants and checking his pockets.

Jongwoon groans at the feeling of Donghae's hands literally all over him, especially when the other had refused to be touched since the beginning of the trip. "Donghae, I'm not complaining but what the heck do you think you're doing?"

"Looking for them, hyung," Donghae says, still with his glare-pout, before slipping a hand into the front pocket of Jongwoon's pants. "Aha! I knew it!" he says triumphantly, retrieving the small white box that contain the Yesex-airpods.

"Donghae!"

"I can't believe you took them, hyung. First my bucket hat and now this? How petty can you get? Just because I haven't forgiven you yet for what you've done."

Jongwoon groans in frustration. "But what exactly _have_ I done? Hae, chagiya, please. You've been confusing me since we got here. For some reason you go from hugging everyone in the airport _except_ me to getting mad about your bucket hat to brushing me off and ignoring me to calling me handsome on SNS and now, you're accusing me of taking your AirPods? Donghae, tell me the truth — are you on your period or something?"

Donghae grows suspiciously silent for a moment before lowering his gaze and biting his lip. "You said you were getting tired of me."

"What? I never said that! When did I say that?"

"I heard you complaining to Wookie during our flight about how tiring it gets not to get as much affection as you give."

"…"

"And how you hate how every time we're out in public I refuse to return your acts of affection and ignore you. Hyung, you know that I'm a private person. I don't like doing those things but for you I'm actually trying. I actually reached out to squish your arm while at the airport. That must count for something."

"…"

"And then you had the nerve to complain about always picking up after me when everyone knows you're basically useless at home and…"

"Kkoming."

"What?"

"I was talking about Kkoming. I was showing Ryeonggu a video of her and complaining about how she usually ignores when we're out and even when we're at home."

 "Oh," Donghae blinks and then pouts. "And you not sitting beside me on the plane?"

"The managers take care of reserving our seats, you know that, right?"

"And my bucket hat?"

"You lent that to me. Besides, you would have had to take it off to put on your headphones."

"How about the hugging?"

"What?"

"You let Wookie hug you."

"Well, you wouldn't hug me yourself and wouldn't let me hug you. Besides, if we're going to nit-pick, it's you who hugged Ryeonggu first." Jongwoon blinks. "Ah, I forgot I was supposed to be mad about that when you started getting mad at me."

Donghae seems to consider that a bit and sighs. "Fine. You're right. You're not getting away with stealing my AirPods, though."

"They're mine. You can check if you want to."  
 

"I will," Donghae says, reaching for his phone and proceeding to connect the AirPods. He blinks up at Jongwoon. "'Yesex?' I thought you hated that nickname."

Jongwoon shrugs. "Well, you put it there. I can't just change it, can I?"

"Aish, don't lie, hyung. You just don't know how to do it."

"True. But I could have asked Jongjin though."

Donghae has nothing to say to that, is actually oddly touched by the sentiment.

Jongwoon smiles and moves to wrap his arms around Donghae. The other lets him, actually moves into the hug for the first time in a couple of days, wraps his arms around Jongwoon's waist in turn.

They stay like that for a while, enjoying each other's presence, before Jongwoon speaks up, "So, are we good?"

Donghae cuddles closer, hiding his face against the crook of Jongwoon's neck, and nods. Now that they'd talked about it, it really did sound a bit petty and Donghae wonders what had gotten into him. "We're good, hyung," he finally says, nose still buried against neck so that he doesn't he the evil smirk forming on Jongwoon's face, is taken aback when he is suddenly turned and pushed against the door. He barely has  time to protest when a pair of lips capture his own in a hungry, passionate kiss as Jongwoon releases all his pent-up frustrations from the past few days. Donghae can do nothing but moan helplessly and try to keep up, especially when Jongwoon's hands start moving from his waist down.

"Hyung, we're supposed to go out to dinner," Donghae says when they finally part for air.

Jongwoon just pulls him closer, smirks and licks his lips. "Why should we when I have a full course meal right in front of me? Besides, it's been days since you let me touch you, Donghae-ah.”

Donghae groans. "But, hyung! We have to eat. As in real food, not…"

Jongwoon pouts. "Fine. Go freshen up." A sigh. "Hang in there, little Jongwoon. At least we're sure we're getting some tonight."

Donghae blinks.

"Hyung, did you just talk to your dick?" Donghae asks in disbelief.

"Uwu," Jongwoon simply says before taking Donghae's hand and leading him to the bathroom.

They are late to dinner that night.


	13. Smart (YeHae)

Donghae takes his time as he walks down the familiar corridor towards their meeting room, casually sipping at his coffee. It is 5:00 in the afternoon of a Friday and he’d been running late for almost half an hour already. He panics a bit when he sees one missed call from Jungsoo and a couple from Jongwoon, quickens his steps and carefully opens the door, slips into the only vacant seat next to a sheepish-looking Heechul who  seemed to still be catching his breath. Jungsoo gives him a sharp look that makes him feel thirteen all over again before calling the meeting to order.

Donghae looks around the room at the familiar faces he’s worked with for almost 14 years now and finds himself choking up again. True, they may not be the exact same people they were when they started out and some people had to leave them with others not yet returning but at least they mostly were still together after everything. He stops when he gets to Jongwoon, lets his eyes linger on his hyung’s hair — lighter and shorter than he remembers the last time they saw each other, a healthy-looking tan, fuller cheeks, and sharp eyes looking straight back at him. Jongwoon raises a brow and Donghae blushes at being caught staring again. Having Jongwoon in his life has always been so surreal to Donghae that he’d find himself staring at the other whenever he thinks he could get away with it, a part of him having this irrational fear that his hyung would disappear the moment he looked away.

Donghae manages to keep his staring at the minimum until the end of the meeting, focusing on listening to the various possible title tracks and giving his feedback when asked. Sometime during the meeting, Jongwoon had passed him a sandwich from the other side of the room and he’d smiled in thanks but that was it.

The meeting ends and he stretches, waiting in his seat as he finishes off his coffee.

“You were late again,” someone says in a soft, husky voice, and Donghae suppresses a smile as, just like clockwork, Jongwoon walks up to him and playfully cuffs him up the side of his head.

“Sorry, hyung,” Donghae says, trying for his most apologetic look. “I didn’t notice the time.” A pause. “Guess you’ll have to hug me again so I won’t be late next time?”

Jongwoon blinks then sighs, opening his arms and Donghae steps happily into them. People had passed off Jongwoon’s comment in that one SuperTV episode about him hugging Donghae so that his dongsaeng wouldn’t be late as Jongwoon trying to throw a punchline when in fact, it was actually true.

Donghae smiles as he nuzzles his nose against that part of Jongwoon’s neck that he’d officially claimed as his spot at least in his head, taking in his hyung’s familiar, comforting scent, and gives himself a metaphorical pat on the back.

People say he’s dumb but Donghae is actually quite smart if he does say so himself, at least when it comes to things like this. Because if he were really dumb, then he’d actually listen to Jongwoon and come to their schedules on time. But if he did come to their schedules on time, then he wouldn’t get these hugs with Jongwoon’s raspy voice whispering in his ear that, though he loves Donghae, being late all the time is not okay so could Donghae please, please come to their next schedule on time?

Donghae snuggles in closer, enjoying the warmth of their hug, ignoring all the shifty eyes and poorly disguised eye-rolls and coughs that sound suspiciously like “get a room, you lovebirds” the members throw in their direction as they walk past.

They are alone in the meeting room when Donghae pulls away and looks at him.

“Have dinner with me,” Donghae says out of the blue, as though they were having a totally different conversation.

Jongwoon raises a brow. “Will it get you to come to the next meeting on time?”

Donghae laughs. “Maybe?”

Jongwoon sighs, says “Sorry, I can’t,” watching Donghae’s face fall.

“Hyung…”

“Mom already made dinner at home but you’re welcome to join us if you want.”

Donghae’s face lights up again. “For real? Hyung, have I ever told you that I love you?”

Jongwoon rolls his eyes. “You love my mom’s cooking more. Now come on. And remember your promise not to be late again, okay?”

“Okay,” Donghae promises, smiling brightly, taking Jongwoon’s hand in one of his while crossing his fingers with the other.

Jongwoon seems to be satisfied with that and begins walking to the elevator, pulling Donghae along. Donghae hides a grin. Silly hyung. Jongwoon really should know better than to believe him when he says this. Hugs are a serious business and no way is Donghae taking any chances.

He is smart after all.


	14. Damned if you do (YeHae)

Jongwoon sighs as he glances at Donghae from the corner of his eyes. The younger man has been ignoring him from the time he arrived and it was throwing Jongwoon for a loop. Last night was actually pleasant. They’d hung out and had dinner until Jongwoon had to leave to do groceries with his Mom. It was relatively uneventful which is why Jongwoon doesn’t understand the cold treatment he is getting.

They do the live in spite of this, of course they do — they are professionals after all — until that part where Jongwoon spontaneously reaches for Donghae’s chest to complete a gag.

"No touching," Donghae says and Jongwoon blinks at him, wondering if he'd heard correctly.

"Really?" Jongwoon asks, surprised that Donghae would actually say something like that on camera. “And you’re saying that now in front of all these people?"

Their staff ignore them and continue filming, thinking it to be part of the gag.

"I said, no touching," Donghae insists, smiling yet looking anywhere but at Jongwoon who pouts at him and sighs.

Jongwoon doesn’t really know, still hasn’t figured out what to do with Donghae when he was like this, much less when he pulls what could only be a tantrum in public. What makes it worse is not knowing why he was acting like this. When it came to everyone and everything else, the younger man was usually the type to just say what he wanted. Anyone, that is, except Jongwoon and anything except whatever Jongwoon did that made him upset which could range from something as simple as putting the toilet paper on wrong to standing too close to this or that member. It really was hit or miss at best and quite frustrating for someone like Jongwoon who’d rather people be upfront with him.

The rest of the filming goes smoothly with Jongwoon managing to keep his hands to himself. Donghae ignores him until they are alone in their dressing room and the silence finally gets to Jongwoon and he snaps.

“Ok, that’s it. Donghae-ah, what is this about?”

Donghae ignores him, stands up and makes to walk past him only to be grabbed by the wrist, spun around, and trapped between Jongwoon’s body and the dressing room table. He still refuses to look at Jongwoon though and Jongwoon sighs.

“Look, just tell me what I did wrong so I could properly apologize and…”

“Ice cream.”

“What?”

“Last night,” Donghae mumbles. “You said you couldn’t… but you… Hyukkie… Ice cream… and then…”

Jongwoon sighs. “Donghae-ah, calm down. You’re stuttering.”

“…”

“So, this is about ice cream?”

“…”

“Hyukjae?”

“…”

“Siwon?”

“Si—won?” Donghae asks, finally looking up.

“Yeah, he was there too. My Mom and I met them at the park on our way home while they were out on their run.”

Donghae blinks. “Oh.”

“Oh?”

“So… there was no ice cream date?” Donghae asks carefully.

“Ice cream date? Well, the four of us went for ice cream so…”

Donghae groans before leaning his forehead against Jongwoon’s shoulder. Jongwoon looks at him curiously, smiles when he sees the other’s ears turn red in an embarrassed flush.

“Damn Hyukjae,” Donghae curses and Jongwoon laughs.

“Yeah. I mean, I agree. Whatever you’re cursing him for, the brat probably deserves it.” A pause. “Donghae-ah, did you want to go on an ice cream date with me?”

Donghae looks up at him and Jongwoon chuckles at the look of childish wonder in his eyes.

“We can?”

“Sure,” Jongwoon says. “I mean, we’d have to walk though and I’m not sure if the nearest ice cream place has any flavors you like but…”

Donghae doesn’t let him finish, just takes his hand and begins pulling him towards the door, entwining their fingers together as they walk.

“Donghae-ah?”

“Let’s go, hyung, before it closes. I hope they have chocolate bananas too. I kind of miss…”

Jongwoon lets Donghae ramble then about ice cream flavors and frozen treats and what they were going to do for the weekend, letting out a sigh of relief as he squeezes the hand holding his. Donghae squeezes back and Jongwoon smiles.

It looks like the touching ban has been lifted, at least for now.


	15. Damned if you don’t 🔥 (YeHae)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Donghae wants to be touched but Jongwoon doesn’t

“Where’s Donghae?”

Jongwoon asks no one in particular as he barges into the dressing room, almost out of breath. He’d been trying to find Donghae since the end of the event, didn’t even bother changing out of the school uniform he’d been wearing in his rush to find the other. He had checked all possible places Donghae could have hidden in, and then some, to no avail. Jongwoon sighs. Donghae had been ignoring him again since they’d had a late brunch and it was driving him crazy trying to figure out what he’d done this time to deserve the silent treatment once again. It only got worse as the event went on somehow with Donghae avoiding all contact except for that one random hug he just went along with but hey, that was all on Donghae and shouldn’t be counted as him going against the other’s no-touching-in-public rule.

He sighs as everyone ignores him.

“Guys, seriously, where’s—”

The door to the dressing room slams open then and Heechul storms in.

“Okay, could anyone explain to me why Donghae was crying and has locked himself up in the toilet with a bunch of bananas, nuts, and a tub of Greek yogurt?”

Hyukjae groans. “Urgh, is he trying to film one of those ASMR videos again? I told him it wouldn’t—”

“Hyung!” Jongwoon exclaims, grabbing Heechul by the shoulders. “Where is he? Which toilet?”

Heechul blinks at the almost desperate tone in Jongwoon’s voice and it suddenly clicks. “Oh, so this is another of your lovers’ spats is it?” A frown. “What the hell did you do this time, Yesex? He brought out the tub of yogurt so it must be serious.”

“I don’t know!” Jongwoon says, bordering on hysterics. “I would’ve already apologized by now if I knew what he was mad about.” A pause. “Or even if I didn’t.”

Heechul sighs and gives him a pitiful look.

“Fine, he’s in the third floor restroom. Sixth door on the left.”

“Thanks, hyung! You’re my savior,” Jongwoon says before speeding off.

Heechul looks after him and shakes his head. Jongwoon and Donghae may be the most sickly sweet couple when they were in good terms but their lovers’ quarrels were actually quite frustrating to watch. Also…

“Hae’s starting ASMR?” He asks Hyukjae, taking a seat beside him.

Hyukjae shrugs and hands him an extra bento. “He’s been obsessed with those kitchen prep ones lately.”

“Ah,” Heechul says. “Oh, well. To each his own I guess. Now about HyukTube…”

—

Jongwoon stares at the locked door in front of him, listening to the movements inside. He’d been standing there for a good five minutes now figuring out how to go about this since one wrong move might make Donghae more upset and Heechul might really kill him then. Squaring his shoulders and letting out a deep breath, he does the only logical thing — he knocks.

The movements inside stop but the door doesn’t open.

“Hae?” he tries, moving closer to the door.

A shuffle but no response.

“Donghae,” he tries again. “I know you’re in there so please, open the door so we can talk like mature adults.”

Another shuffle and the sound of something being set aside.

“Hae…”

“No! Go away!” he hears and sighs.

“Hae-ah… please.”

“No! Leave me alone just like you’ve been doing the whole day!”

Jongwoon’s mind blanks. _What?_

A sigh. “Donghae, just open the door and let me explain.”

“No,” Donghae shouts. “Go away. Go hug Kyu or Wookie or anybody else. See if I care!”

“Donghae, please. Stop shouting. Just open the door so we…”

“No! I hate you, go a—”

Jongwoon loses his patience and slams his uninjured hand on the door. “Donghae, open the goddamn door before I break it open.”

Donghae just laughs at him.

“Ha! I’d like to see you try.”

Jongwoon frowns. Donghae was really testing his patience. Well then… He rears back and slams his uninjured side against the door, making it rattle a bit.

“What? Hyung, what are you doing?”

Another slam. “What does it look like?” Slam. “I’m trying to break down the door like you told me to.” Slam. Slam.

“Hyung! No! You haven’t recovered yet. You’ll hurt yourself more! Hyung…”

Jongwoon ignores him, braces himself for another slam, when the door is suddenly pulled open and he is barrelling into a warm body instead, making the both of them topple over with him on top.

“Ow,” Donghae complains as he is crushed underneath Jongwoon, the wind knocked out of him. “Hyung… Hurts…”

Jongwoon’s eyes widen.

“Oh my god, Hae. Are you okay? Look, I’m so sorry, I…” He frets over Donghae, fingers running over his head, his shoulders, his arms, his ribs checking for injuries. A moan and Jongwoon blinks, looking down at the younger, noticing his flushed cheeks and labored breathing and half-lidded eyes. His unbuttoned shirt has been pulled open and Jongwoon is mesmerized by the rhythmic rise and fall of the chest he loves so much.

“Donghae, you…”

“Hyung,” Donghae says, breathless. “Touch me more, hyung.”

And there’s something in the other’s tone that makes Jongwoon comply, completely forgetting that they were supposed to be fighting. He crushes their lips together, sliding a hand underneath Donghae’s shirt. Donghae moans and wraps his arms around Jongwoon’s neck, pulling him closer to return the kiss, enjoying the contact he’d missed the entire day. It really was torture for him, having Jongwoon beside him the whole time without the other touching him even just for fanservice. Of course, Donghae understood Jongwoon not being in a condition to do it yesterday after his fall on stage but not getting even a hug today when he went around hugging other people… wasn’t that a bit too much? 

Jongwoon makes to pull away and he whines, hooking a leg around the back of the other’s thigh, groans when instead of moving away, Jongwoon just smirks and trails his lips down to Donghae’s neck.

“So,” Jongwoon whispers, making Donghae squirm at the feeling of soft lips against his sensitive neck. “You wanted to be touched this much huh?”

“Hyung…” Donghae says.

A nip. A suck. “Is that why you were ignoring me?”

“Hyung!” Donghae gasps helplessly. “Hyung, you… hug… I…”

“Ah,” Jongwoon laughs, moves back up to look at Donghae and leans forward, breath fanning pleasantly against the other’s lips. “But didn’t you forget, Hae? You were the one who told me not to touch you in public.”

Donghae blinks stupidly at him, processing the information.

Jongwoon chuckles. “Ah, my Donghae-ah. It really is a good thing that you’re cute.” A smirk. “Looking like that, I could just eat you u—”

“What the hell is going on here?”

Jongwoon’s eyes widen at the sound of Jungsoo’s voice and he hurriedly scrambles off an equally sheepish looking Donghae.

“Hyung,” he begins. “Let me explain.”

Jungsoo sighs. “I came here worried you’d really be physically fighting like the old days after a manager told me she’d heard some slamming on this floor but this is worse.”

“Hyung, we…” Donghae tries only for Jungsoo to cut him off as well.

“No, I don’t want to hear it. Seriously guys, you should learn to control yourself more or at least lock the door instead of, idk, making out where everyone can see you. What are you, a couple of teenagers?” A pause. “And I don’t even want to know what you planned to do with all those bananas. Now fix yourselves up and be at the lobby in ten minutes. If you’re late by even a second, I’m telling Siwon you need couple counselling.”

And with that threat, the leader of the entire Kpop industry walks out leaving two of his members flabbergasted behind.

“Hae, did he just…”

“Yeah.”

“…”

“…”

“So, ten minutes huh?”

”Hyung,” Donghae says still in a breathy voice. “Hyung, we shouldn’t.”

“…”

“… Fine.”

Jongwoon smirks and pounces.


	16. Bad Hair Day (YeHae)

Jongwoon and Donghae sit on different chairs beside each other in an empty dressing room. That would have been quite unusual if not for the fact that a stressed-looking Jungsoo was standing before them.

Jongwoon and Donghae shift uncomfortably in their seats, wondering what they’d done this time to deserve this, jump when Jungsoo finally speaks after several minutes of silence.

“So,” he says. “Is there anything either of you would like to say?”

Jongwoon and Donghae look at each other, having a silent discussion about who should go first. Jongwoon apparently wins and Donghae puts on his best apologetic expression, looks at Jungsoo and says, “Hyung, I’m sorry for hitting you too hard during the ment.”

Jungsoo sighs, “Apology accepted but this isn’t what this is about. Try again.”

Jongwoon sighs. “I’m sorry for what happened in the fifth floor restroom. That was all my fault.” A pause. “Though in our defense, we did lock— oh, that’s not it either, is it?” Jongwoon asks when he sees Jungsoo shake his head.

“I’m sorry for being born?” Donghae tries, tears welling up in his eyes and Jungsoo sighs as Jongwoon reaches out to place a comforting hand on the other’s back, glaring at Jungsoo.

Jungsoo just rolls his eyes. “You don’t have to go that far.” A sigh. “You really don’t get it, do you?”

All Jungsoo gets are blank stares in reply.

“Fine. It’s the schedule.”

“The what?”

“The fanservice schedule. YeHae is way behind and I can’t even explain to the director why.”

“Oh,” Donghae says. “So there really is still a schedule.”

Jongwoon sighs. “I didn’t even know we were on there. Isn’t that schedule reserved only for the top ten ships or something? Hyung, we literally have ten shippers on a good day.”

“Well,” Jungsoo says. “We’re diversifying. Seriously though, what’s the problem? You guys are literally—”

“Hae doesn’t like being touched in public,” Jongwoon says, cutting Jungsoo off.

“Then he can do it. I don’t care who touches who just do it! Tomorrow’s the last day and I don’t want ‘not sticking to the fanservice schedule’ on the list of reasons why we are problematic. LSM knows we got too much on that list already as it is.”

—

Jongwoon opens the door to their dressing room, balancing two bentos in his right hand. Donghae still was getting ready when he was done with his hair and makeup so he’d gone to get them some food and coffee, waving off the all the staff who had offered since he’d been wanting to go on a walk anyway. He regrets it immediately though when he comes back to see Donghae’s unevenly chopped hair standing in spikes with him wearing that cursed trash bag-inspired shirt Jongwoon had been wanting to rip off him since Day 1 and not in a sexy way.

“Hyung,” Donghae says. “Finally! I’m starving… did you get me some… hyung? Jongwoon? Where are you going? Hey!”

And Donghae watches in bewilderment as Jongwoon expressionlessly places the bentos on the table, backtracks and walks out the door.

—

“Looks like Yesung-hyung is in a bit of a mood,” Hyukjae comments as they get ready backstage. “What did you do this time?”

“I don’t know,” Donghae says in frustration. “I just asked him to get me an extra banana with my bento. He was weird when I came back. Ah, I hate this. I’m so confused right now.”

Hyukjae just laughs at him and Donghae looks at his best friend, feeling betrayed.

“Hyukkie,” he says.

“What? I just think it’s so funny because usually it’s the other way around.” A pause. “Just please tell me which restroom to avoid when you eventually make up. Though I honestly don’t know how you’re going to do YeHae fanservice when you’re like this.”

Donghae groans. “Don’t remind me.”

A staff member signals to them that they’ll be on in two minutes and they both nod, Donghae receiving yesterday’s pair of sunglasses from a stylist.

He puts them on as told, turns to Hyukjae.

“Hey, Hyukkie. I’ve been thinking, are these sunglasses too much or—”

—

Jungsoo corners Jongwoon before they go out for Hope. Their segment had passed without any YeHae fanservice and the leader was fuming.

“Jongwoon, I thought I made myself perfectly clear yesterday. The ten YeHaes on SNS need their content. If I don’t see any YeHae content by the end of today’s concert, I’ll…”

“I can’t!”

“What?”

“Hyung, I can’t! Not when he… that hair. Hyung! Why’d he have to allow that to be done to his hair?”

“Oh? So you really are just dating him for his looks? I’m disappointed in you, Jongwoon-ah.”

Jongwoon looks stressed. “You know that’s not true, hyung. I’d literally jump in front of a bullet train to save him but I can’t look at him right now.”

Jungsoo sighs. “Fine. I kind of get that. Just… focus on his face or something. Or grab his chest from behind — you seem to like doing that.”

“And risk being poked in the eye by those spikes?”

Jungsoo just stares at him.

“Okay, hyung. I’ll see what I can do.”

—

Jongwoon spots Donghae in front of him somewhere after the second chorus, filming something with his phone, most likely for some of those behind-the-scenes videos he posts on YouTube. He backtracks, tries to change directions only to catch Jungsoo’s eye, who glares at him and mouths “grab his chest” while gesturing to Donghae.

Jongwoon sighs, readies himself for the inevitable. He creeps up to Donghae and presses himself against the other, snaking a hand around to rest it just a bit under his ribs. Donghae startles then relaxes, continues filming, pouts when Jongwoon looks anywhere but directly at him. It lasts too briefly before Jongwoon is pulling away, looking behind at Jungsoo.

“There! Happy?” Jongwoon mouths to their leader who just winks at him.

It is only later at their hotel room that Donghae is able to confront Jongwoon. He'd showered and changed into his pajamas and only then does Jongwoon look up from his phone at him.

"Hyung, are we fighting again?" Donghae asks, crawling into bed beside him.

Jongwoon glances at him before going back to whatever he is reading on his phone. "I don't know what you mean, Donghae."

"Hyung," Donghae whines at him, only to be ignored.

"Hyung!" Still nothing.

"Kim Jongwoon!" Jongwoon just keeps scrolling. Donghae scowls, huffs, before tackling Jongwoon onto the bed.

Jongwoon yelps as his head hits the pillow, phone falling to the carpet. This has happened so many times already, he's surprised his phone hasn't suffered any permanent damage yet — or his brain for that matter.

"Hyung," Donghae says above him, drawing close and giving Jongwoon no choice but to look at him. "Hyung, what's your problem? Why won't you look at me?"

Donghae prepares himself to be shoved off, is surprised to find Jongwoon just lying there with a weird expression on his face. He then reaches up to run his fingers through Donghae's shaved sides and the longer strands now free of hair gel and drooping over his eyes.

"Huh," Jongwoon finally says, sounding surprised. "It actually doesn't look too bad like this."

Donghae blinks. "What?"

"Your hair," Jongwoon clarifies, fingers continuing their exploration.

"Hyung," Donghae huffs, even as he closes his eyes and rests his head against Jongwoon's shoulder. "So you really were ignoring me over my hair?"

Jongwoon hums noncommittally, trails fingers from Donghae's head to his neck, massaging lightly. Donghae groans against his neck.

"Hyung?"

"Fine. It was the hair. I'm sorry if I need time to process every time you change hairstyles on me." A pout. "You weren't any better the first time you saw me with pink hair."

Donghae laughs. "Bright pink," he corrects. "I liked the lighter shade you had for the MV, remember?"

Jongwoon smirks. "Oh, yeah. I definitely remember and so does the studio closet." A pause. "Maybe we should do more remembering, yes?"

"Hyung," Donghae groans when he realizes what Jongwoon is talking about. "What the heck? I don't want to get up to go find a closet now."

"Fine," Jongwoon concedes. "Maybe later. So, sleep?"

"Yeah," Donghae yawns. "Wow, was it always this tiring doing concerts three days in a row?"

"I honestly can't remember," Jongwoon laughs, tracing random patterns on Donghae's back. "Maybe we really are getting older?"

"Or lazier?"

"I highly doubt that. Sleep, Hae." A pause. "You do know that I'll still love you, right, no matter how much we fight or how old we get, through good or bad hair days. You know that, right?"

And Jongwoon laughs when all he gets in answer is a snore, smiles as Donghae murmurs something that sound like "love you too, hyung" in his sleep, finally falls asleep to the feeling of soft, newly shorn hair under his fingertips.

Yeah, maybe this haircut isn’t too bad after all.


	17. Popcorn and Smoothies (YeHae)

Donghae hums cheerfully as he takes some produce out of his refrigerator. Today had been a good day. He'd slept until a little bit before noon, worked out, drank his coffee, posted a video on YouTube and, of course, most importantly, went  out to dinner with Jongwoon. Donghae smiles. It's been a while since they'd actually had a meal together outside work and he doesn't know what prompted the sudden invitation but was just glad he had enough free time before he had to meet some friends to have dinner with his hyung. It was too bad he had to rush out of there right after, would have wanted to spend more time with Jongwoon, but he wasn't about to bail on his friends either. He had panicked, though, when he realized his phone and AirPods were gone until he remembered leaving them on his and Jongwoon’s table in his rush. He is about to send Jongwoon a message from his laptop asking him if he'd seen them when he hears someone ring his doorbell.

He frowns. It is almost 11:00 PM and he wasn't really expecting anyone. Another ring and he goes to check who it is on the small screen next to the door, does a double take when he sees a familiar acorn hat and facemask.

"Jongwoon-hyung," he says excitedly, unlocking the door in a hurry. "Hyung! You're here! Why are you here?" he asks as he steps aside to let Jongwoon in.

Jongwoon raises a brow and takes off his mask and hat, shorter hair standing every which way because of the static. "You left these," he says, handing Donghae his phone and Airpods.

Donghae blinks. "Wow, you actually came all the way here just to return these? Wait, how did you even get here? Don't tell me you walked, hyung!"

Jongwoon rolls his eyes at him. "I can afford to take an Uber, you know."

Donghae doesn't look convinced. "But did you?"

"… fine. I took the last train." Jongwoon says, looking around and it is only then that Donghae realizes that it's the first time he's had Jongwoon over in a while.

"Oh, so that's the plant you've been telling me about," Jongwoon says when his eyes land on the relatively new addition to Donghae's living room. "I'll never understand why you keep calling it 'Lemon-ah,' though."

Donghae blushes. "Why? What's wrong with calling it 'Lemon-ah'?" he asks, defensively.

"It's a house plant. A green house plant."

"So?"

Jongwoon just looks at him.

"Fine. I just had something on my mind when I got it, okay."

"A lemon?"

Donghae shrugs.

Jongwoon sighs and shakes his head. "Well, I did what I came here for. I'd better get going. Goodnight, Donghae-ah," he says and turns around.

Donghae blinks. Whatever he was expecting the older man to do, that wasn't it. He reaches out, manages to catch Jongwoon's sleeve before he gets to the door.

"Hyung, hey. Wait a second. Where are you going? You just got here."

Jongwoon blinks at him. "Yeah, and now I'm leaving."

"But hyung," Donghae whines. "We haven't hung out in my apartment in while. Won't you stay for a bit?"

"Well, you look busy," Jongwoon says, eyeing the produce spread all over Donghae's counter.

"Just trying out a new smoothie recipe."

"In front of a camera?"

Donghae shrugs. "I was planning to go live on YouTube but I guess that's out of the question now." A pout. "Come on, hyung. Stay. I could make us popcorn and we could watch movies just like the old days. Seriously, though, I don't understand why do you hate my apartment so much."  
  
"The old days huh?" Jongwoon says, turning around, appearing to give in. "And no, I don't hate your apartment. What ever gave you that idea?"

"You refuse to be in it for more than five minutes."

Jongwoon ignores him. "So, popcorn and smoothies?"

—

They settle on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and two glasses of smoothies. They'd settled on random variety show re-runs, having given up on agreeing on a movie, and had been laughing their lungs out for a good half an hour.

"Ah," Donghae says, wiping the tears from the corner of his eyes. "I missed this."

"Yeah," Jongwoon says around a mouthful of popcorn. "I can't remember television being this entertaining."

"No," Donghae says, shaking his head and turning to face Jongwoon. "I mean this — us casually hanging out and chatting like this."

Jongwoon laughs at him. "Donghae, we just had dinner earlier."

Donghae chucks a piece of popcorn at him. "I know," he says in a strange voice. "But somehow, I feel it isn't the same."

Jongwoon looks at him then, reaches for the remote to put the television on mute before facing him.

"Donghae, what is this about?"

"Hyung, I miss you," Donghae says, this time looking at Jongwoon with a sad smile, tears starting to fall from his eyes. "Sometimes, I feel that things have changed and I…"

Donghae startles as Jongwoon cuts him off by pulling him into a hug.

"So that's why you've been acting so strange lately," Jongwoon whispers, letting out a low chuckle. "Aish, Donghae-ah. My Donghae-ah. Didn't you say it yourself?"

"What?" Donghae looks up at him, confused.

"'You're always by my side, hyung,'" Jongwoon quotes something Donghae posted in reply to him on SNS barely two days ago, takes Donghae's face in his hands to wipe away the tears gently from his cheeks. "It's true, you know. I'll always be beside you no matter what, whether you want me to or not."

"Hyung…"

"So don't worry, okay? Things are always bound to change. Today can't be the same as the beginning and I can't promise you a better tomorrow but there's one thing that would definitely not change and that is you and me, us."

Donghae sniffles, touched at the familiar words before he realizes why exactly they were familiar.

“Hyung,” he laughs. “Did you just quote your lyrics at me again?"

"Well, it got  you smiling again, didn't it?" Jongwoon replies, smiling at him tenderly and continuing to stroke Donghae's cheeks. "I mean it though. Hyung will always be by your side, Donghae-ah. Believe me when I say it's true."  
  
"And _I'll_ stay by _your_ side too, hyung" Donghae promises, reaching up to cover Jongwoon's hand with his own. "Even if you always laugh at me when I talk about Lemon-ah and hate my apartment, this will be the place I will return to — by your side, always."

They stare at each other for a while before it is Jongwoon’s turn to burst out laughing.

"Okay, that's it. That was so cheesy. Were those song lyrics as well or have you been reading fanfics again? Didn't I tell you not to… mmph."

Jongwoon flails helplessly as a pouting Donghae tackles him to the couch and shuts him up the only way that seemed to work these days.

The popcorn and smoothies remain untouched the rest of the night.


	18. Cancelled Plans and Missed Calls (YeHae)

Jongwoon twirls his phone in his hand while absently looking out his window, trying to decide what to do for tonight. He’s gotten better at keeping still, at finding comfort in solitude, but there are times when the restlessness gets to him and whatever plans or hobbies or personal projects he has going barely manage to keep his interest. It’s worst at times like this, the sudden lull after a period of activity, when he keeps feeling as though he’s supposed to be doing something but couldn’t, for the life of him, figure out what it is. Sometimes, he thinks it’s the avoidance of this very same feeling of restlessness that makes members like Heechul and Jungsoo and Hyukjae and Donghee push themselves doing show after concert after performance without taking a break. Or perhaps it’s the much simpler human desire of wanting to do as much as they can  before time eventually runs out.

He remembers the time before this, when his album had kept being pushed back. On hindsight, everything did work out for the better but at that time, he couldn't help but feel a little frustrated.

"Soon," they kept on telling him. "Just a little bit more, Yesung-ssi."

He had to admit, it was a bit funny how they keep telling him to be patient, to wait a bit more as if he hadn't been waiting all his life — for the proper time, the perfect opportunity, the right people.

Or maybe he hates the feeling of being stuck the most. He has never been a person who deals well with cancelled plans and goals he is told he could not reach without even being given the chance to try.

He takes a deep breath and then another when he notices the direction his thoughts are taking. This was neither the time nor the place, wishes Jongjin hadn't cancelled on him tonight of all times when his phone vibrates in his hand. He blinks when it keeps vibrating, wasn’t really lying in that one interview where he said that nobody ever really calls him lately, frowns when he sees the name on the screen.

“Donghae,” he greets the younger man when he picks up. He’d actually been wanting to ask him to hang out for a while but kept putting it off for some reason. Things were easier back when it was Donghae who’d ask him out or show up randomly at his doorstep to drag him wherever he fancied that day.

“Hyung,” Donghae greets him in return. “Where are you?”

Jongwoon sighs, walking to his kitchen to get a drink. “Is that a trick question? Where else would I be?”

“I don’t know, hyung. You keep hanging out at all these cool and artsy places.”

“Yeah, well, I seem to be running out of cool and artsy places to be lately. So, what’s up?”

A pause, some shuffling before Donghae sighs and says, “Hyung, let’s go out.”

“Sure,” Jongwoon replies, not missing a beat, opening his fridge to take out a bottle of lemon water and drinks from it. “I’ve been looking for something to do, actually. Where are we meeting?”

“You’re not even asking what we’re doing?”

Jongwoon laughs. “It’s you who’s asking so I doubt it would be anything illegal or should I be afraid of accidentally losing a limb?”

“Hyung,” Jongwoon could practically hear the pout in the other’s voice. "That was just one time and I was barely eighteen."

Jongwoon laughs. “Fine. Just send me the address.”

“On it.” A pause. “Are you walking there?”

Jongwoon shrugs. “I was supposed to go for a run anyway.”

“Okay, hyung. See you.”

He hangs up.

—

Donghae is late because of course he is and Jongwoon had gone ahead and had the grill started.

"Hyung, I’m so sorry. I forgot it's Friday today and I'm supposed to meet some friends from church at Haru later."

Jongwoon watches as he slides into the chair opposite him, marvelling at how much the other's hair had grown back in the span of just a few days.

"Are you sure you're not being late on purpose so I'd keep hugging you so you won't be late next time?"

Donghae snorts. "As if you wouldn't hug me if I just simply asked."

Jongwoon laughs. "Cheeky brat. Why are you so confident?"

"You know you love me," Donghae says, blowing him a kiss and asking for the menu.

Jongwoon doesn't answer, just starts laying meat on the grill.

"So," Donghae begins. "Everyone else is busy."

"Yes, they are." A glare. "Is that why you asked me out? Because I'm the only one available?"

Donghae blinks at him before looking flustered as he always is when Jongwoon unleashes his Death Glare™. "Aish, hyung. Don't be like that. Of course that's not true. I asked you to dinner because I wanted to  and because I miss you."

"Donghae, we talk almost every day."

"On the phone."

"And we went to Japan recently."

"For work." A sigh. "Okay, so maybe I'm being a bit clingy."

"And sentimental? Yeah, so am I these days.”

"Then why don't you ask me to hang out?"

Jongwoon frowns at the question, bides his time by turning over the meat.  "I don't know," he finally says. "Maybe because I keep thinking you're too busy as well like the rest of the members."

It is a lie, though. The truth is that Jongwoon has gotten so used to waiting, he has forgotten that sometimes the easiest way to get what you want is to ask for it.

They shift to more carefree topics after that and Jongwoon finds himself laughing throughout dinner, especially when Donghae starts arranging the remaining food to form the letters "S" and "J".

"Hae," Jongwoon had scolded him when he'd started doing it. "Stop playing with your food. What are you, five?"

Donghae sticks his tongue out at him. "Shut up, hyung. You're not my mother. Now help me with this. ELF will love it for sure."

There are lots of things ELF would love, Jongwoon thinks, doubts this would be one of them but ends up helping Donghae with his "project." They play rock-paper-scissors for who would post it on SNS and Jongwoon wins.

Donghae pouts for a whole minute after that before he realizes he has to go. He begins gathering his things, apologizing profusely and promising to take better note of his schedule next time.

"I really am so sorry, hyung. It was fun having dinner with you. Let's do this more often.” A smile. "And the next time you get lonely and want company, just ask, okay?"

And with that, Donghae rushes out of the restaurant and into the Friday night crowd. Jongwoon blinks and so does the manager who was approaching their table, apparently to ask for their autographs. Jongwoon obliges — the food was good and this restaurant had at least one good memory in its favor, hopefully the first of many.

"Just ask," Donghae had said and Jongwoon smiles when he realizes that it's the first time someone actually said that to him in a while. Trust Lee Donghae to know exactly what to say to him to get him out of a slump.

The good feeling doesn’t last though and Jongwoon curses when he realizes his beloved Donghae had, once again, left him with the bill.


	19. Never Again (YeHae)

Jongwoon groans, head pounding as he carries a barely conscious Donghae on his back to his apartment. They’d gone out with some friends tonight and both had ended up drinking a couple of glasses of wine to celebrate — which later on proved to be a big mistake when Donghae immediately went into his hyperactive drunk phase.

“Keep still,” Jongwoon, who was also feeling a bit woozy then, kept telling Donghae, trying to hold him steady while Ryu attempted to snap a photo of them.

“Hyung~" Donghae said, giggling while reaching for Jongwoon’s cap. “Take off your cap. I wanna let them see~"   

"Donghae-ah, stop it," Jongwoon glared, holding onto his cap for dear life, managed to intercept him several times, only to be shocked into letting go when Donghae suddenly leaned in close and proceeded to give his nose a lick.

"Eww! Donghae, what the hell!" Jongwoon exclaimed, furiously wiping at his nose as Donghae ran away laughing, waving his prize in the air, making Jongwoon run after him until they ended up chasing each other in drunken circles while their friends just looked on and laughed.

That was a bit of time ago and by the time they got into one of their friends' cars, Donghae was out like a log, snoring against Jongwoon's shoulder.

"He really is like your kid," one of their friends had commented and Jongwoon snorted. It had been one of the things he had struggled with at the very beginning when things started to shift between him and Donghae and sometimes he still wonders how they ended up like this.

"Aren't all boyfriends just grown ass kids to look after though?" Another replied and they moved on after that.

Jongwoon had looked down at Donghae's sleeping then, admiring the way his long eyelashes rested against his lower eyelids, and thought he wouldn't mind taking care of his "grown ass kid" for the rest of his life…

Except now when he takes the few agonizing steps from the elevator to his apartment, back creaking in protest under the other's weight.

"Damnit, Donghae-ah," he says through gritted teeth. "Why don't you ever listen to me? I'm definitely never letting you drink again."

Donghae shifts behind him, tightening his arms around Jongwoon's neck and nuzzling against the side of his neck.

"I love you, hyung," Donghae mutters in his sleep and Jongwoon can't help but laugh because if that "conversation" didn't sum up their entire relationship, he doesn't know what will.

They reach the door to his apartment and he adjusts his hold on Donghae to unlock it, shouldering it open and turning on the lights. He then hightails to the bedroom and, as gently as possible, sits down on his bed to settle Donghae onto the covers. Except that Donghae doesn't seem to get the hint and clings tighter, wraps his arms and legs around Jongwoon and refuses to let go.

"Donghae," Jongwoon says softly. "Hae, we're home. Come on, let go so I could get us ready for bed."

Donghae stirs then, lifting his head from where it was resting on Jongwoon's shoulder and looks around sleepily.

“Hyung, where are we? Where’s Lemon-ah? What did you do to Lemon-ah?”

Jongwoon can't help but laugh at the other's absurdity, turns to look at him when Donghae finally loosens his grip. “Hae, this is not your apartment and this is not your living room. Why would Lemon-ah be here?"

Donghae blinks at him. "Oh," he says, before wincing in pain and collapsing against Jongwoon's pillows, curling up into a ball. "Aaaahhh, my head. It hurts. Hyung! Why did you let me drink?"

Jongwoon rolls his eyes. "That's exactly what I've been asking myself the entire time I had to piggyback you."

Donghae's eyes widen, sits up suddenly making his vision swim and plops right back down.

"Ow," he complains, curling up once again and Jongwoon reaches up to run his fingers through the other's hair, hoping it helped with the headache. He jumps when he feels a hand rubbing gently at his lower back in turn, looks up to find Donghae squinting at him, a pout beginning to form.

"I'm sorry, hyung. Your back…"

Jongwoon laughs. If he were being honest, it wasn’t only his back that was the problem.

“I’m okay, Hae. Just a bit winded. Now let’s get you out of those clothes so we can sleep. Seriously, my head is killing me and mmph…”

Jongwoon trails off when Donghae suddenly grabs the front of his shirt and pulls him down for a kiss, stunning Jongwoon for a few seconds before the older man recovers and starts kissing back with equal fervour. Donghae moans and Jongwoon takes the opportunity to slip his tongue in, deepening their kiss as Donghae reaches up and pulls Jongwoon’s cap off, throwing it somewhere in the direction of Jongwoon’s manga collection before running his fingers through Jongwoon’s short hair. Jongwoon groans and bites down gently on Donghae’s bottom lip, earning another moan.

They kiss for a bit more, Jongwoon sucking and biting at Donghae’s bottom lip in turn, allowing his hands to slip down the other’s chest when suddenly Donghae is sitting up and pushing him away, breathing heavily.

Jongwoon looks at him in surprise, wondering if he’d done anything wrong.

“Donghae, are you okay? What did I…”

“Hyung,” Donghae says, looking at him with a strange expression, tears beading at the corners of his eyes.

Jongwoon’s heart stops.

“Donghae?” He tries again. “What happened. Look, whatever it is, hyung is sorry and…”

“Hyung,” Donghae repeats, gripping the front of Jongwoon’s shirt. “I…”

“Yes, Donghae-ah?” Jongwoon asks, heart pounding against his chest.

And Donghae looks at him apologetically as he says the words Jongwoon fears the most.

“Hyung, I… think I’m going to puke,” before going ahead and, to Jongwoon’s horror and disgust, doing just that all over Jongwoon’s shirt.

Later, much later, when Jongwoon and Donghae are soaking in Jongwoon’s tub after cleaning themselves up and putting their messed up clothes and beddings in the laundry for later, a mildly embarrassed Donghae leaning back against a still exasperated Jongwoon, Jongwoon finally puts his foot down.

“No more drinking more than one glass of wine,” Jongwoon says, pinching Donghae’s thigh lightly before stroking it gently with his thumb .

Donghae winces but nods.

“And no more drunken making out.” A sigh. “At least, not if you’re not sure you won’t puke on me.”

“But hyung,” Donghae whines, trying to turn around to pout at Jongwoon, hoping that would change his mind. Jongwoon holds him still, doesn’t let him, already knows he’d cave once he sees Donghae’s kicked puppy expression.

“Promise me, Hae,” Jongwoon says firmly.

Donghae sighs and relaxes back against him.

“I promise, hyung. No more drinking more than one glass of wine or trying to make out with you when drunk.”

A pause.

“But then again,” Donghae says breathily. “We’re quite sober now, aren’t we?”

And Jongwoon barely manages to breathe before Donghae is pressing back against him more purposefully while taking the hand that is on his thigh and guiding it between his legs.

As expected, Jongwoon doesn’t get to do any laundry that night.


	20. Happy Jongwoon Day (YeHae)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which everyone wants to wish Jongwoon a happy birthday — and when I say everyone, I do mean everyone. With references to my current and future AUs. Enjoy.

Jongwoon wakes up to the feeling of water trickling down his face and frowns. The last thing he remembers is falling asleep on the couch in their dressing room right after the performance — a schedule on his birthday two years in a row, how lucky! — wonders which member it is that would be on the receiving end of his slipper this time (his money is on D&E but you never really know) never mind if they had already wrapped up filming for SJ Returns and seriously isn’t that water bottle prank so ten years ago. More trickles and Jongwoon forces his eyes open, blinks when he finds himself half-naked in a tub and almost nose-to-nose with a familiar someone.

“Donghae?” he asks to be sure because the last time he checked, Donghae didn’t have that much hair. He didn't have a fish tail either but that takes Jongwoon's tired brain a bit more time to process. Jongwoon looks around, trying to remember if they were scheduled to film any variety shows that involved some form of crack roleplay, squeaks when he feels something slimy brush against his legs because damn if that felt like any sort of costume material he's ever encountered.

“Jongwoon!” Donghae the merman says, catching his attention by placing wet, clammy hands on Jongwoon's cheeks and squishing them. "You're awake! Finally! I'm so relieved! You fell asleep just before we could clean my hole."

Jongwoon blinks. His what now?

"My hole," Donghae the merman answers him, pouting while wriggling on top of Jongwoon's lap, and wasn't that such a familiar sight — the pouting, that is; definitely not the wriggling. "Jongwoon, you promised we were going to try today on your special day.”

And Jongwoon gulps when the merman presses closer, reaching for his hand before guiding it down his torso. "Try?" he asks, too shocked to actually pull his hand away, gets a bad feeling about where this is going.

Donghae the merman just keeps on looking at him, eyes glowing golden, as he leads Jongwoon’s hand past his abs and lower until Jongwoon feels scales under his fingers and his eyes widen.

"Silly Jongwoon," the merman says in an overly cheerful tone. "We've been over this a million times. It's about time we started and what better day to do it than today.” A smile. “Happy hatching day, Jongwoon. Let do our best to make babies, okay?" he says in a deceptively innocent tone before leaning forward and planting a kiss right on Jongwoon’s lips.

It is at this point when Jongwoon's brain finally gives up making sense of everything and he gratefully passes out into the bath water, hoping everything is just a dream that would be gone the moment he wakes.

—

Jongwoon startles awake, gasping for breath. Of all the trippy dreams he's ever had in his entire life, that strange dream involving Donghae the merman definitely takes the care — even stranger than that one dream about Ddangkoma and Ddangkoming actually being aliens sent to spy on humankind. He tries to remember what he ate or drank before falling asleep  — Donghae didn't switch his coffee for a homemade smoothie again, did he? — before looking around, recognizing Donghae's Trimage apartment and heaving a sigh of relief. That questionable dream about Donghae the merman had really sent him in for a loop and it was comforting to find himself in familiar surroundings. He wishes he could remember how he got here though.

He hears something fall and looks towards its direction to find Kkoming and Melo circling around several empty bottles of Almond Milk Tea.

"Kkomingie, Melo-ah," he calls them, feeling even more confused. He doesn't remember bringing them with him today either, especially not to Donghae's apartment. Melo cheerfully trots up to him and plops herself on his lap, making Jongwoon smile, as Kkoming ignores him in favor of looking at the door to Donghae's bedroom, which opens to reveal the owner of the apartment.

"Oh, Jongwoon. You're awake," Donghae says, making Jongwoon frown at the lack of honorific. He looks up, ready to scold the younger man, only for his mind to go blank when he sees what Donghae is wearing.

Donghae raises a brow at him, adjusting his wig as well as the blazer of the private schoolgirl uniform he is wearing. It is the exact same uniform that he'd worn for SS7S that took a surprising amount of cajoling (Heechul), threats (Jungsoo), and bribery(Jongwoon) to have him put on… which is why he gets even more confused when Donghae casually flips his wig and goes to sit beside Jongwoon, a concerned look on his face. Donghae then reaches up to check his temperature.

"You look pale, Jongwoon," he says, worried eyes flitting across his face. "Are you sure you took enough?"

"Enough?" Jongwoon asks.

"Aish, you should really stop holding back," Donghae says, before undoing the first three buttons of his shirt. He then tilts his neck to the side, looking at him expectantly, and Jongwoon gulps as he sees bite marks and puncture wounds on the other's skin, suddenly feeling hot for some reason.

"Donghae, what are you..?" he tries to ask, only to be interrupted when the younger man places a hand at the back of his head and guides him forward until Jongwoon could feel his breath fan against the other's neck.

"Just take it, Jongwoon," Donghae says, voice hitching in anticipation. "We still have time until I have to go for my schedule."

Jongwoon swallows, throat suddenly dry, doesn't know if it's the cosplay or the way this Donghae says his name that suddenly makes him want to take whatever it is that was being offered. He is about to when he hears an unfamiliar laugh, looks around for its source which seemed to be coming from the other side of the couch where Kkoming and a blushing Melo were. Jongwoon frowns. He didn't know dogs could blush.

And, as if it weren’t strange enough already, Kkoming rolls his eyes at them, opens his mouth and says, “Smelly juicebox. How dumb can you get? It's normal for Master to be like this on the anniversary of the day he was Turned.”

_What the actual fuck?_

And just like that, Jongwoon's brain gives up and he is fainting once again to frantic yips and shouts as Donghae and a Kkoming who could talk continue to bicker in the background.

—

The next time Jongwoon wakes up, he finds himself seated on stage in a plain white button up, dress slacks and a tie with yellow sunflowers… which shouldn’t be anything new really. He's done so many concepts that at this point, he doubts anything could surprise him. It's strange that he can't remember what this rehearsal is for though — SS8 is still in its planning stage after all— but this couldn't be anything but a rehearsal, what with the empty hall and the dimmed lights. He hears footsteps approaching and turns towards their direction, heaves another sigh of relief when he sees that it's just Donghae, stands up to greet him.

"Donghae-ah, where is everybody? I don't remember a rehearsal being on our schedule. And what are we even supposed to…"

Jongwoon blinks as Donghae places a finger to his lips, is momentarily distracted by soft, curly waves of hair he hadn't seen on the other for months now after the other had given up on growing his hair, yelps when Donghae suddenly pushes him to sit back down on the chair before smiling at him suggestively.

"Donghae-ah?" he asks, confused at the usually shy man's almost flirty behavior when the other starts unbuttoning his shirt, still smiling that suggestive smile, leaves his shirt hanging open when he's done and plops down onto Jongwoon's lap as though it were the most natural thing to do. Jongwoon groans at the contact and reaches up to steady Donghae, catches himself when he realizes what he is doing and moves to push Donghae off who just laughs at him and tightens his grip on the older man, squeezing his thighs.

"Relax, manager-nim. I left Haru with Hyukkie. No one's going to disturb us this time."

_Manager-nim? Haru?_

"This time?" he asks instead, squeaks when Donghae leans in close, breath fanning against his ear as he whispers, "Yes, this time. After all, it is your birthday and we never really managed to act out that dream you once told me about, have we, Jongwoon-hyung?"

And Jongwoon's eyes widen again when this flirty Donghae captures his lips in a passionate kiss.

—

"Hyung…"

Jongwoon groans, scrunching his nose.

"Yesung-hyung…"

"…"

"Jongwoon-hyung…"

Jongwoon blinks awake to someone shaking him by the shoulders and a familiar voice calling different versions of his name on repeat. Grumbling, he squints in the darkness of what appears to be their label's van to make out the figure of Donghae looking worriedly at him… or at least, a person who appeared to be Donghae.

"Hyung," maybe-Donghae says when he sees Jongwoon staring suspiciously at him. "Thank god you're finally awake. You've been out since after the performance and I've been trying to wake you for almost an hour now." A pout. "Seriously, hyung, you scared me. You just kept on sleeping and weren't waking up no matter how many times we had Hyukkie 'hueh' at you. We actually had to carry you out to the van, hyung."

Jongwoon frowns. An hour? He looks around and down at himself, confirms that yes, he is still in his performance clothes. Jongwoon looks at Donghae to find that he hadn't changed out of his either. Donghae starts biting his lower lip as Jongwoon continues to stare, a nervous habit that has become quite familiar to Jongwoon and one that makes him think that it may really be his Donghae this time and not another dream, reaches out half-asleep to take a surprised Donghae's face in his hands before pinching both cheeks.

"Ouch! Hyung, what the hell?!" maybe-his-Donghae exclaims but does nothing to stop Jongwoon. He moves his hand to Donghae's head then, feeling the unevenly shorn sides and heaves a sigh of relief. Choppy hair, check — definitely not the flirty Donghae from his last dream. He then continues his examination, moving his hands down to the side of Donghae's neck as Donghae swallows nervously under his fingers, feeling for some bitemarks. He finds the skin smooth and unbroken and Jongwoon heaves another sigh of relief. No bite marks , another check. Donghae is looking at him strangely now, breathing heavily, and Jongwoon wonders if he should stop before he crosses some sort of line between them. But then Jongwoon remembers his very first dream and decides that he couldn't be too sure, resolves to continue his investigation and Donghae yelps when he is suddenly pulled forward, loses his balance and finds himself sprawled over Jongwoon's lap with the other man's hands moving down and…

"H-hyung!" Donghae protests in shock as Jongwoon casually moves his hands across the younger man's ass, as though feeling for something. "H-hyung! What are you doing? Stop it! What the heck? Manager-hyung!"

Their manager just ignores him, politely looks away, Airpods securely in place. A squeeze and Donghae panics, slapping Jongwoon across the cheek.

Jongwoon's head snaps to the side with the force of the slap. "Ow! What the fuck, Donghae-ah? That hurt!" he says, massaging his jaw before his eyes widen. "That hurt? So… this isn't a dream?"

Donghae rolls his eyes at him but, for all his protests, doesn't do anything to get up, continues to perch comfortably on Jongwoon's lap for some reason. "I could have told you that without you feeling me up."

"So, you're not a merman?"

"No, hyung."

"Or a stripper?"

"I do wonder about that sometimes but no, hyung. I don't think so.”

"Or a juicebox?"

Donghae looks at him worriedly. "What does that even mean?" A pause. "Aish, hyung, you haven't been staying up late reading fanfiction again, have you?"

Jongwoon coughs and looks away, blushing.

Donghae sighs. "Anyway, now that you're up, let's go, hyung."

Jongwoon blinks at Donghae. "Go? Go where? And why are you still here? Weren't you supposed to ride in the other van?"

Donghae frowns. "Did you hit your head, hyung? It's your birthday. Of course I'd be here to spend it with you." A glance at his watch. "Or at least, the two hours that remains of it. Now come on. You've kept them waiting long enough."

"Them?" Jongwoon asks, noticing Donghae's slip up.

Donghae blushes. "Did I say them? I meant 'me.' How dare you keep your poor beloved Donghae waiting?"

"'My poor beloved Donghae' now, is it? And not, say, our families and friends waiting up there to surprise me?" Jongwoon continues to tease and Donghae hits him again, getting off his lap.

"At least act surprised, hyung. Heechul-hyung will yell at me again if he learns I ruined the surprise party he specially put together for mmph…"

Jongwoon silences Donghae then by pulling him close to quickly press a chaste kiss against his lips, pulls away to watch the blush spread across the other's cheeks and down his neck and Jongwoon smiles. Yes, this was the shy, sweet, if sometimes bratty, and most importantly, human Donghae that he has come to know and love for almost two decades.

Donghae blinks at him, looking confused before his phone starts vibrating in his pocket. He takes it out to read his messages, fingers still absently tracing his lips that Jongwoon had just kissed.

"That was Heechul-hyung checking on things." A sigh before he is opening the door of the van and getting off. "I guess we really better get going now. And please, please hyung, if you really do love me as much as you say you do, act surprised."

And Jongwoon laughs, a deep, clear sound that makes Donghae smile back as the older man alights from the van, slings an arm over his shoulders and says, "Sure, sure. Anything for my favorite Donghae-ah."

Donghae looks at him then, admiring the way his hyung's usually stern eyes curve up in one of the most beautiful of smiles Donghae has ever seen.

''Your favorite Donghae-ah?" he teases back. "Hyung, you talk as if you have other Donghaes than me to pick from."

Jongwoon looks at him strangely, as though considering something, eventually laughs it off and ruffles Donghae's hair before wordlessly takes the other's hand in his as they walk towards where their friends and family are waiting for them. No, Donghae didn't need to know about the dreams he just had. After all, no matter how interesting the Donghaes of his dreams were, they were nothing compared to his Donghae and whatever happiness Jongwoon now has within his reach.

Behind them, in spite of the pleasant heat of the summer night, a single snowflake falls from the sky, sparkling beautifully as the light hits it, as though wanting to wish Jongwoon a happy birthday as well way before its time.


	21. Time (YeHae)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jongwoon Birthday OS No. 2

Time.

When Jongwoon was younger, one thing he hated the most was being reminded about how much time he had left.

20 minutes till playtime ends. Seven days till the end of summer break. 16 hours to master that choreography. Five minutes left to sleep.

For some reason, he had always felt that he got less than he was owed, never really got into the habit of wearing watches just because it felt too constricting and a constant reminder of the scarcity of time.

As he grows older though, Jongwoon thinks he has become better at it, counting days and hours and minutes and seconds.

288 days to Donghae’s return from enlistment. 52 weeks since Here I Am’s release. 3000 days since debut. 30 minutes before the end of his 35th birthday.

He is grateful for the years, he really is — all 35 of them. It doesn’t make it any easier for him to deal with the idea of time running out but at least it helps especially on days like today.

His phone vibrates with a message and he steals a glance at it instinctively. He was having a late dinner with his family and wanted to focus his attention on them without any distractions, had actually resolved not to look at his phone for the remainder of the meal. He is glad he does though when he sees  the message.

“Hyung,” it simply said. “Do you have time?” and Jongwoon doesn’t miss the irony of it.

“Sure,” he replies. “What is it?”

The “…” appears a couple of times before Donghae finally replies. “Open up, hyung. I’m outside your apartment.”

Jongwoon frowns. Outside?

Jongwoon’s mother looks at him questioningly as he picks up his phone and stands up.

“It’s Donghae,” Jongwoon says by explanation. “He’s outside. I’ll go see what he wants.”

“Okay, dear,” his mother says, smiling. “Do invite him in if he can, okay?”

Jongwoon nods before walking out, stops abruptly when he finds Donghae waiting right outside his door.

“Hyung!” Donghae greets him excitedly, as though they hadn’t seen each other earlier, or the day before, or the day before that. “Finally! I thought I had to barge in there to get you just so I wouldn’t be late.”

Jongwoon raises a brow. “Why didn’t you then? You have my spare key and my family knows…”

Donghae shakes his head. “No, hyung. It’s your family time. I could never interrupt your family time. I wouldn’t if only I remembered to actually give this to you before we left. Here…”

Jongwoon is about to say something along the lines of Donghae being stupid and _he_ was family, what did he mean, when a box is suddenly being thrust into his hands and Jongwoon just blinks at it.

“It’s your present, hyung,” Donghae says, almost trembling with excitement. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to wrap it. Now hurry. Open it. I want to see if it fits.”

Jongwoon looks suspiciously at the box in his hands but does as he is told, eyes widening when he sees the gift inside, rendering him speechless.

“Hae,” he says. “This is… You really didn’t have to. I mean, the cake and the surprise party and all those greetings… This must have cost you a lot and you know I don’t…”

Donghae shakes his head, still smiling, before taking the watch from the box and presenting its back to Jongwoon. On it was today’s date — August 24, 2019 — and a number.

Jongwoon looks at Donghae questioningly. “This is…”

“Today, hyung,” Donghae says. “And the number of days since we first met.” A smile. “Happy birthday, Jongwoon-hyung.”

And Jongwoon chokes up then, suddenly overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude and honor and love and oh god, what did he do to deserve someone as precious as Donghae in his life, surprises the younger man by pulling him into a fierce hug. A heartbeat and Donghae returns it, sniffling, and suddenly they are crying and holding onto each other and laughing because how silly were they getting all sentimental over an accessory.

They pull apart but keep their arms around each other and Jongwoon looks down at Donghae, raises his hands to wipe the tears from the other’s eyes a look of wonder in his own.

“Thank you,” Jongwoon finally says. “For the watch and the cake and the wonderful birthday. For staying with me no matter what happens, even when we fight, for all those 6,575 days we’ve spent together.”

Donghae blinks up at him through the tears, looking confused.

“Hyung, it’s 6,574,” he insists and Jongwoon laughs.

“No, Hae. I’m pretty sure it’s 6,575,” he says and Donghae sighs.

“Great, now I have to take it back and…”

Jongwoon laughs and pinches Donghae’s cheeks to stop his from talking.

“It’s okay, Hae. The watch is beautiful and who knows, maybe you’re actually right.” Jongwoon stops pinching Donghae’s cheeks then, a tender expression on his face before he leans down kiss the other gently on the lips.

“I love you, Donghae-ah,” Jongwoon says and Donghae actually blushes because for all the times he has said those words, he’ll never really get used to Jongwoon saying them back.

“I love you too, Jongie-hyung,” he replies, using the old nickname. “Even if you’re mean sometimes and we both suck at counting days.”

And Jongwoon doesn’t know whether to laugh at the diss or sob at the nickname, is about to tell Donghae off when the door opens to Jongjin holding the knob with eyes closed.

“Is it safe?” Jongjin asks and Jongwoon laughs, lets go of Donghae to hit him.

“Of course it’s safe, Jongjin-ah. What did you think we were doing?”

Jongjin pouts at his brother, rubbing his head. “Ouch, hyung. That actually hurt. And really, can you blame me for being careful after the last time you and…”

“Ah, look at the time, hyung,” Donghae says, interrupting the quarrelling brothers. “I think I should go,” is about to run off when Jongwoon grabs his hand and stops him.

“Stay, Hae,” he says and Donghae gapes at him like a fish.

“But you… family time…”

And Jongwoon pulls him closer, places an arm around his shoulder and snorts.

“Really, Donghae-ah,” he snorts. “I thought we’ve moved past that since day 5000. Besides, mom told me to bring you in if you can stay.”

“Oh,” Donghae says, suddenly embarrassed. “I don’t know what day that is.”

Jongwoon just laughs before proceeding to lead him in while Jongjin makes gagging noises behind them.

The watch in Donghae’s hand strikes 12:00. Day 6576.

Or 6575 because who knows, maybe Jongwoon has never gotten better at counting the days after all.


	22. Sweet 🔥🔥🔥 (YeHae)

Donghae keeps staring at the cake.

Now, at any other time or in any other place, this wouldn’t have been unusual. Donghae did have a bit of an occasional sweet tooth, would never say no to cake or candy or ice cream if he didn’t really have to. So no, it really shouldn’t have been that unusual for Donghae to want a piece of cake as much as he did except that this time, said cake just happened to be Jongwoon’s birthday cake and the piece he wanted was the one currently stuffed in Jongwoon’s mouth that the other was diligently chewing after all the needed photos have been taken.

Donghae watches Jongwoon eat, cheeks bulging as he tries to properly chew the cake in his mouth before swallowing bit by bit, a cup of coffee ready to wash it down. He hadn’t winced yet though and Donghae takes this as a good sign — Jongwoon never really liked overly sweet things and Donghae had been extra careful at selecting this particular cake which he assumes to be just right based on Jongwoon’s reaction.

More chewing and Jongwoon swallows, the lumps in his cheeks disappearing and Donghae panics as he watches the last portion of his coveted piece of cake disappear. Without even thinking about it, Donghae suddenly finds himself leaning forward to chase the piece of cake into Jongwoon’s mouth with his lips, oblivious as to where they are or who is around. If anyone asks, Donghae thinks as he slips his tongue into Jongwoon’s mouth savoring the light, sweet taste, he’s actually just helping Jongwoon finish off the cake in his mouth. There was nothing wrong with that, right?

Jongwoon blinks, surprised, hadn’t exactly been prepared to be kissed in the pantry of their dressing room on his birthday in what was more or less their stage outfits barely 20 minutes before they had to go for another interview. Jongwoon groans, snaps to attention when Donghae suddenly begins sucking on his tongue, fingers starting to unbutton the older man’s black dress shirt. Jongwoon lets him, finally kissing back, small hands slipping under the younger man’s singlet to pull it up and over his head before returning to hold him by his slim waist.

Donghae whines when they have to part to take his singlet off, shivers as he feels the cold metal of Jongwoon’s rings on his skin as he had so many times before, allows himself to be spun around and pushed against the small counter just next to the rest of Jongwoon’s birthday cake, legs spreading just enough to allow Jongwoon to slip in between them; continues to explore Jongwoon’s mouth for the piece of cake even as Jongwoon’s tongue starts pushing against his.

Donghae moans as Jongwoon scrapes his teeth against his lower lip, allowing Jongwoon to finally slip his tongue into the other’s mouth in a sudden reversal, making Donghae lean back only to realize his mistake when his hand slips and he falls onto the birthday cake next to him, getting it all over his back and side and part of his chest.

There is silence for a moment as the two men just look at each other —Donghae lying on the ruined birthday cake and Jongwoon staring at him with a mixture or shock and something else — before Donghae starts giggling, making no effort to get back up or clean himself.

“Oh my god,” he says between chuckles. “I’m so sorry, hyung. I knew things were going too well when I didn’t drop the cake earlier. I’ll get you another, okay? Just let me… Hyung…”

And Donghae trails off when suddenly, Jongwoon lifts a hand from Donghae’s waist to take some of the icing that had fallen on Donghae’s chest using his finger and smears it over the nearest nipple.

Donghae’s eyes widen at the unexpected sensation, lets out an embarrassing squeak when he meets Jongwoon’s intense gaze before the older man bends over him, mouth moving to his chest, and proceeds to suck the icing off.

“Hyung…” Donghae tries to protest, holding onto Jongwoon’s shoulders. “Hyung… Please… We’re not… Nngh… Oh my god!”

Jongwoon just smirks against him, seems to take pity on Donghae and releases the nub he’d been sucking on for a while. It is a brief reprieve though and soon Donghae is a moaning mess again as Jongwoon proceeds to practically eat his birthday cake off the younger man.

“Hyung… Hyung… Ahhhh… Jongwoon-hyung…” Donghae finds himself saying over and over as Jongwoon nibbles and sucks and licks skin that he’s so sure would display hickeys by the time they went onstage. He does nothing though, just allows Jongwoon to lap hungrily at him, silent as he usually is at this point, until he feels the other’s erection start pressing against his. He lifts his hips to meet Jongwoon’s thrusts, finally drawing a “fuck” and a hiss from the other, wonders if they still have time to actually do something about it when the sound of a hanger falling and muffled cries of “what the fuck you guys, my eyes” make them stop what they’re doing, suddenly remembering where they are.

A heartbeat and the two of them look towards the entrance of the pantry to find Hyukjae trying to gouge his eyes out and a fuming Jungsoo. It is the latter’s glare that makes Jongwoon pull away and Donghae finally sit up, blushing.

“Hyung, we…” Jongwoon tries only to be cut off.

“Five minutes,” Jungsoo says in an eerily calm voice. “Five minutes and if I don’t see the both of you in the interview room, properly dressed and… calmed down, I will personally see to it that neither of you would be capable of pulling this stunt again in the near future and no, Jongwoon, I don’t care if it’s your birthday. There should be limits on how you enjoy your cake, goddamnit.”

Jungsoo then stomps off, a still gagging Hyukjae behind him holding the hanger that Jungsoo dropped.

Jongwoon and Donghae blink before looking at each other sheepishly. Jongwoon then helps Donghae up and off the counter, some cake still hanging off the younger’s back and torso. Jongwoon licks his lips when he sees the cake only to have Donghae reach up to pinch his cheeks.

“Hyung! No! As much as I enjoy having you eat cake off me, we don’t have the time. I think Jungsoo-hyung is serious this time.”

Jongwoon sighs. “Fine. You’re probably right. Come, let me help you wash off. I think I saw a shower at the back.” A pout. “It’s such a shame we can’t continue though. It really tastes so sweet.”

Donghae laughs, taking Jongwoon’s hand, careful not to get anything on the other’s shirt. “Well, I really liked that cake too but hyung, I thought you didn’t like sweet things.”

Jongwoon stops and looks at him then, raises a hand to rub his thumb on Donghae’s cheek before licking it and saying, “Yeah, I don’t usually like sweet things but who says I’m talking about the cake.”

Donghae just stares at Jongwoon, confused, until his single braincell finally figures out what was being said and he blushes. “Hyung… please stop saying such embarrassing things.”

“What?” Jongwoon asks as they begin walking to the shower again. “I’m just telling the truth. Now I guess we better get going. We can do more cake sampling later.”

“Cake sampling?”

“I told Jongjin to bring any cakes I receive at the cafes home,” Jongwoon says meaningfully and Donghae gulps, mouth suddenly dry. It seemed tonight was going to be a busy night after all.


	23. Let Them Eat Cake 🔥🔥🔥 (YeHae) (R-18)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Long Overdue) Sequel to Sweet. No cakes were harmed in the writing of this OS. Heavily un-edited. Might revise in the future. For now, enjoy. :)

Donghae’s loves birthdays — his or a family member’s or a friend’s, it doesn’t really matter. Birthdays are happy occasions to celebrate life and love and someone’s presence on this earth no matter how fleeting, not to mention that it’s that one special day out of the 365 or 366 days in a year when a person is most likely to get what he wants if he would only ask for it.

Donghae moans as he perches on his kitchen counter, Jongwoon mouthing at his neck while impatiently trying to unbutton his shirt. They had gone for what was supposed to be a quiet dinner with family and a few friends that had somehow taken too long for Jongwoon’s liking, made him feel increasingly frustrated considering what he had planned for later that night until they got to the part when Donghae’s mother and brother took out the cake. It was a simple cake — cherries and strawberries and other candied fruit on white icing — but definitely fancier than the cake Donghae had gotten Jongwoon for his birthday. But then again, it made sense considering Donghae’s sweet tooth. Donghae practically glowed upon seeing it, couldn’t help tearing up a bit, touched as he looked around the room as everyone in attendance broke out into song. Halfway through the birthday song, Donghae met Jongwoon’s eyes from across the room, had suddenly felt his knees grow weak at the subtly hungry look in Jongwoon’s eyes as he licked his lips, making Donghae flush as he remembered the last time both of them were within close proximity of a cake in what passed for a private setting. It was just too bad they didn’t have the time or opportunity to do any cake sampling on Jongwoon’s birthday after they came home to a surprise birthday party in Jongwoon’s apartment. Or, Donghae thinks as Jongwoon apparently gives up on properly undressing him and just pulls his designer shirt open forcefully making several buttons pop off, maybe it was just as well. A frustrated Jongwoon was an unpredictable Jongwoon and Donghae loved himself an unpredictable Jongwoon.

Jongwoon continues pawing at him and his torn shirt until Donghae obediently slips his arms out of its sleeves, letting Jongwoon pull it fully off him and throw it somewhere in the direction of the sink. He spreads his legs when prompted and Jongwoon steps between them to press him more fully against the counter before Jongwoon reaches up to pull him down into a passionate kiss.

Donghae groans into the kiss, taking in as much as he could. It has been a while since they had time for this, every waking moment spent preparing for their much awaited comeback. Like clockwork, Jongwoon slips his tongue into Donghae’s waiting mouth as Donghae eagerly responds, wrapping his arms around Jongwoon’s neck, trying his best to match the other’s intensity. He feels Jongwoon smirk as he pulls back a bit to bite down on Donghae’s lower lip, drawing a gasp. Donghae pays Jongwoon back though later by sucking hard on Jongwoon’s tongue, succeeding in drawing a moan from the usually quiet man as Donghae wraps his legs around Jongwoon’s waist to draw him closer. They kiss like that for a while — all tongue and teeth and swollen lips — until Donghae feels Jongwoon push him back to lie against the counter.

Donghae whines at the loss of contact but lets himself be manhandled, winces a bit when he feels the smooth, cold tiles of his kitchen counter against the bare skin of his back. He takes the chance to catch his breath as he opens his eyes — when he even closed them, Donghae doesn’t remember — to find Jongwoon watching him, pupils blown with desire, the same look that usually meant he wouldn’t be able to walk properly the next day or two or five.

“Please,” he says breathlessly, tries to call Jongwoon’s name but could only watch, mesmerized as Jongwoon holds him steady with his left hand on Donghae’s waist while his right hand reaches out to take a big forkful of the cake sitting on the counter next to Donghae. Jongwoon places it in his mouth and Donghae moans at the sight, the incident at their waiting room’s pantry almost two months ago still fresh in his mind. Jongwoon then bends forward and, in a seeming reversal of that day, feeds Donghae his birthday cake with his mouth.

Donghae moans as the sweet taste of cake fills his mouth, made even sweeter by the feeling of Jongwoon’s lips moving gently against his this time. The change in pace takes Donghae by surprise at first but he ends up following Jongwoon’s lead anyway, enjoying soft, almost languid kisses, barely noticing it when Jongwoon’s hand moves further down to work on ridding Donghae of his pants. He manages it somehow and suddenly, Donghae finds himself stark naked on his kitchen counter and oh god, how was he even supposed to do all his breakfast preparation videos now without thinking of what they were doing or, judging by the smirk on Jongwoon’s face as he looks down at Donghae, what they were about to do.

Donghae gulps when Jongwoon takes a cherry off the top of his birthday cake, takes the stem off with his teeth, before placing it against Donghae’s lips, telling him to bite but not to break skin in that soft, husky voice that Donghae loves. Donghae obeys, a bit scared yet excited, wonders how far Jongwoon was willing to take this, whatever this is. Jongwoon seems to read his mind then as he reaches out again with his right hand to take some icing from the cake and begins smearing it all over Donghae’s neck, his Adam’s apple, down his chest, his toned abs, and lower…

Donghae moans when he feels a small hand take his half-hard member, coating it, couldn’t help but let out a needy whine when he realizes what that means. The hand doesn’t stop there, though, continues further down past his balls and Donghae’s eyes widen when he feels the same fingers deliberately circle his entrance. He tosses his head back at the movement, biting through the cherry between his teeth inspite of himself, its sweet, tart taste filling his mouth as he lets out a string of curses, his last coherent thought being that it’s a good thing he’d cleaned himself thoroughly before leaving earlier, almost loses his mind when the fingers dip slightly in and Donghae isn’t sure if it’s because of the sensation or the anticipation of what is to come and really, was it too much to ask for it to be his birthday everyday?

He feels the fingers stop as Jongwoon pulls away once again, lets out a needy whine, wants to kick Jongwoon in the balls when the older man chuckles , saying something about stopping since Donghae had gone and bitten the cherry when Jongwoon told him not to, because damn it, Donghae had waited his whole life for this — or at least the two months since Jongwoon’s birthday — and he really was going to hurt Jongwoon if he...

Jongwoon moves back in then, lips starting to trace the path his hands had taken, nipping and licking and sucking and Donghae suddenly forgets all homicidal thoughts, lost in the sensation of Jongwoon’s familiar mouth against his skin, urging Jongwoon to hurry. Jongwoon just smirks and takes his sweet time, slowly and deliberately cleaning the icing off Donghae inch by fucking inch. It feels almost like an eternity until Jongwoon finally moves down, licking tentatively at the icing coating Donghae's member before he takes Donghae fully into his mouth, sucking hard as Donghae gives in, throws his head back, and cums directly into Jongwoon's mouth. Jongwoon doesn’t seem to mind, diligently swallows before taking his mouth off Donghae with a pop. Donghae couldn't look at him, places an arm over his eyes as he rides off his orgasm, too embarrassed to have been done so fast. He starts to apologize only to let out a squeak when he feels Jongwoon’s hands on his butt, hiking him up as Jongwoon bends further down.

Jongwoon licks at the icing on his entrance and Donghae really loses it.

“Hyung, ahhhhh. No... Wait... Stop... I’m not... too much... Jongwoon...”

Jongwoon ignores him, Donghae’s desperate cries seeming to urge him on instead. He dips his tongue in, enjoying the sweet taste and the sound of Donghae needily moaning his name, wonders why he’d even had second thoughts about doing this before. He reaches up to take Donghae’s member in his hand while he continues fucking Donghae with his tongue, making Donghae writhe and moan under him, until Donghae reaches down to pull Jongwoon up by the collar of his shirt.

Jongwoon licks his lips, savoring the taste of Donghae on his tongue, gives Donghae a puzzled look at the interruption, only to be caught off guard when Donghae literally jumps on him, clinging to him with arms and legs as he kisses him, moaning when he tastes himself on Jongwoon’s tongue. Jongwoon kisses him back in turn, hands on Donghae's ass, feels Donghae’s member harden once again against him even through the fabric of his shirt as he tries his best to take Donghae’s weight. They continue kissing until Donghae pulls back, breathing heavily as he rests his forehead against Jongwoon’s. They stay like that for a while, breath fanning against each other’s lips until Jongwoon breaks the silence by asking, “Hae, what...”

“Too close,” Donghae mumbles, blushing as he hides his face against Jongwoon’s shoulder.

“What?”

“I was too close,” Donghae repeats. “Again... hyung, If you hadn’t stopped, I would’ve...”

“Oh,” Jongwoon says. “That wouldn’t have been too bad though. In fact, I’d take that as a compli— oww. What the heck, Donghae-ah!” Jongwoon exclaims as Donghae does hit him then.

“Shut up, hyung,” Donghae says, still not looking up from where he’d buried his face. “Just... shut up and take me to bed. All this talking... I don’t think I could hold on much longer and I swear if you say anything about...”

Donghae trails off as Jongwoon smartly says nothing, adjust his hold on Donghae, and does as he is told.

—

“Hyung, ahhhhh... hyung... please... hurry,”Donghae moans, tears of frustration falling down his face. They had lost no time as soon as they got to Donghae’s bed, Jongwoon taking off his clothes in record time as Donghae watched, preparing himself, and now, Donghae finds himself practically sobbing as Jongwoon pushes into him gently, painfully, deliciously slow when all Donghae really wants is for the older man to just ram all the way in and take him already.

“Shh, Hae,” Jongwoon says in that soft, husky voice of his that never sounded as seductive to Donghae as it did that very moment. “Be patient. I’m just giving you your present just like you wanted me to.”

“But, hyung… ahhhh… ngggh… It’s just… too much… I want…”

“Yes, Hae?” Jongwoon says, still deceptively gentle even as he pushes a bit more into Donghae. “What do you want?”

“You, hyung… All of you,” Donghae answers without any hesitation, doesn’t even mind, would beg a million times if that’s what it takes for Jongwoon to stop with this sweet torture. “Please, hyung, I’ll do anything... just… ahhhhh…” And Donghae trails off into an incoherent moan when Jongwoon reaches up to cup Donghae’s chest tweaking and rubbing each nipple between his fingers even as he pushes the last couple of inches in, finally sheathing himself fully in the younger man.

Donghae sags against his bed, feeling tired but thankfully not yet spent, tells himself to breathe as he adjusts to Jongwoon’s girth as he still has to do after all these years somehow. Jongwoon lets him, the sound of harsh breathing filling the room as he holds himself back, lifting a hand to take Donghae’s chin between his fingers, moves up to place a gentle kiss on Donghae’s lips. Donghae responds and soon they find themselves kissing softly, almost lazily, until Donghae hooks his leg higher around Jongwoon’s waist, signalling him to continue. Jongwoon complies, thrusting hard into Donghae’s tight heat as they both had wanted to.

 “Hyung... ahhh... hyung... nngh,” Donghae moans as Jongwoon manages to find his prostate.

“Dongae... fuck... so tight... my Hae...” Jongwoon groans in turn, his voice turning Donghae on even more.

“Hyung... yeah... just like... hyung... more... I want...”

 Jongwoon grunts and picks up his pace, pounding harder into Donghae until the younger is reduced into an incoherent, moaning mess.

 “Hyung... nngh... hyung...”

 "Hae... fuck... Donghae-ah... I think I’m...”

 Donghae tightens himself around Jongwoon as with a final curse, Jongwoon cums inside of him, Donghae following closely behind.

They bask in the afterglow, Jongwoon a comfortable weight on Donghae’s chest. Donghae knows they should clean up, was starting to feel a bit sticky, but doesn’t want to ruin the moment. Jongwoon does it for him though, heaves himself off and out of Donghae as he makes his way to the adjoining bathroom, making Donghae moan at the loss. Jongwoon picks up his discarded pants on his way, takes something from it before letting it crumple back onto Donghae's floor. He returns with a warm washcloth and proceeds to wipe Donghae down, cleaning him thoroughly of the evidence of their activities. Jongwoon then slips back into bed and Donghae loses no time in cuddling against him, is surprised when Jongwoon holds something too close in front of him, making him go cross-eyed for a while. He frowns when he realizes what it is.

“A ring? Is this also my present? Hyung, you shouldn't have. Besides, didn’t you just give all the members a friendship ring? I mean, not that I don’t appreciate it but...”

 "It’s not a friendship ring,” Jongwoon says. “Or just any other ring.”

 “What?” Donghae sits up, takes the ring from Jongwoon’s fingers, examines it. Now that he looks at it properly, the ring does look familiar. His eyes widen as he remembers. “Hyung, this is...”

 "Yeah,” Jongwoon says, sitting up as well. “It was the ring you helped me pick out way back then for... before she... Anyway, do you remember what you told me then?”

Donghae shakes his head.

“You told me, you said that this ring will bring me happiness for sure, as well as the person I’d give this ring to.” Jongwoon takes the ring and slips it onto Donghae’s right ring finger, surprised to find that it fits. “So here. I’m giving it to you now.” A smile. “Happy 34th birthday, Donghae-ah. May this ring make you happy for the rest of your days.”

Donghae is speechless for a while, couldn’t really say anything as he looks at the ring on his finger, all choked up with emotion.

“Donghae-ah, are you... I mean, it’s okay if you don’t want to wear it. It’s probably a bit too girlish and...”

“I want to.”

“What?”

"I'll wear it, hyung, even if I don't really need it."

"What? Why?" Jongwoon asks, looking worried. "Hae, what do you..."

Jongwoon trails off when Donghae reaches up to cup his face, tears falling down his cheeks in spite of himself. "I'm already happy, hyung, right here, right now, with you. Why would I need any ring to bring me happiness when I already have you?"

"Donghae-ah..." Jongwoon says, choking up as well, reaches up to wipe the tears from Donghae's cheeks. "I..."

"I love you, hyung," Donghae says, leaning into Jongwoon's touch and smiling through the tears. "Thank you for another wonderful birthday."

"I love you too, Hae," Jongwoon smiles back. "And no, thank you. Thank you for spending your birthday with me again this year." A teasing smirk. "And for sharing with me your birthday cake for that matter."

"Hyung..." Donghae says, blushing, still can't believe they'd done what they did on his kitchen counter.

"And I don't know about you but I think there's a lot more leftover, in case, you know, you still still want to..."

"Hyung," Donghae groans, sagging forward against Jongwoon's chest. "Please. we just cleaned up."

"So, tomorrow then?"

Donghae sighs. Jongwoon really didn't look it but here really was the more insatiable of the two of them. "Fine. But you're cleaning everything up and if I find ants on my bed, I'm..."

Jongwoon just laughs, kisses Donghae on the nose, and holds him close, making Donghae shut up and curl up against Jongwoon, placing his head on the older man's chest. Barely a minute later, soft snores fill the room and Jongwoon smiles as he watches Donghae sleep. Donghae may deny it over and over again but he really was the sweetest and Jongwoon can't help but feel so lucky to have him, sends up a prayer to whoever may be listening, praying that they could do more cake sampling together in the years to come.


End file.
